The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1877-04-19

would turn and look at the river dow
in along so peaceful IA the bright sun
shine. Aud the last time | was there It
WAS the day before | WAS 60 start for
America, an | SAID 10 myself. we'll,
might see places that people would say
was prctt,or nor this, but to my eve
there Is no place so handsome as my Old
home ln ireland
Poor Dan, how he loved hls dear old
Ireland. and how much more ! thought
II HIM for that very reason, for II u man
does not love hiH country and hla home.
NO matter how humble or unlnNitluE il
may may be 10 % stranger, there ls not
much room IA his heart t1 love ANYTHING
else
After chatting away for some time. We
both fell asleep and when ! awoke ! felt
as though something had touched my
leg, aud looking around, | perceived a
huge mocvasIu snake crawling of toward
my gun. which 10 reached, and perched
itself upuu the stock, which WAS lying
dat upon the grass. 4 cold sensation
came over me l felt As though the muu-
ster had CrJWlrd over me. which. no
doubt, IL had, "a, | lay asleep. l looked
around for stick. hat, Of course, when
yuur are most lu need uf one there Is
none 10 be had The snake had 10y this
time settled himself very comfortably on
the gun stock. and was apparently
asleep, with his heaa resting upon the
coils ot his body. l didn't stop long 10
look At him, as there was nothing very
handsome or attractive in his appearance,
bu. drawing my revolver, / sent bullet
At hmm which cat through three fold, Of
hss ugly carcass, and caused han g. rear
his head about SIX inches and make an
ugly strike, but his wrath and venom
were spent upon the air, and he fell upon
the grass, l seized my gun As quickly
as l could, and bringing down the butt
upon h.s head dispatched him. All this
WIS tine work of a few seconds. when,
hearing Dams voice iuquir.ng " What's
the matter p
turned toward him, and to my hor-
rur saw huge moccAs.n not SIX inches
from his leg, aud apparently asleep.
g" Don't move, Dan, said /. At the
same tame. cacklng my gun, | brought 10
mp. and before 1t touched my shoulder l
shot the snake into pieces, when Dan
jumped up. rubbing his shins and
shouting: " BE me sowl, you've sA1.
me feel the blood "
\ few pellets of shot had stuns his
leg: bat when pointed % tile torn body
Of the snake, the poor fellow was fright
euei nearly ont oi his wits.
"Was that feller ON me? Bcgorra, !
thought l felt something
Let go my arm. Dan; there's an
other, " said |, and / shot HIM, and, re-
loading quickly, Il WAS not two minutes
before | killed another The place WAS
literally alive with them.
"What shall We dOg' said Dan, his
hair t4.rlv standing on end with terror
" Get ont OF this as quickly rs possi-
BILE, said l. Come, follow me, and
make as much noise as yoa like, for |
expect that piece of low ground that We
have 70 pass through is full Of them, and
maybe you can friehtem them Of
Dan needed no sc,uni invitation. In
stead oi following. however. he beat me
about twenty-five yards IN our run across
the marsh: and when we reached Macs
house, he sworr by an the saints that he
would not live IN that country another
month for q mint ~ money.
When | told Mac whore We hal been,
his face turned q shade or two pslor and
he SAID: q" / wouldu't 90 20 tina. spring
this time of wear fo- q hundred dollars
Ben Kerr aud I baruel Of that marsh
two seasons ago. AMI we killed with
sticks iifty-siV m1cra-in-, and / don't
know how many were burned up. "
AMI / usei g stop there FOR a drink Of
water every time / went over q the lake
Il IS needless - say that W., NV last
visit to the beautiful spring. PIill-
d,iDhia Sunday Mercury.