Weekly Trinity journal., 1877-09-22
THRILLING SNAKE STORY.

Beware of pickpockets !" repeated =
benevolent old gentleman, as he glanced
at placard posted in. the car in which be
was riding. Dear me, how sad that
snch warning should be necessary in a
Chri>tian land :"
"Yes sir" said young man next to
him; "but it's best to be careful for there
may be pickpockets in this very car.
know all about that. sir. I've been res
oued from the lowest depths. | was a
pickpocket at one time myself. sir"
"Desr, me-" said the old gentleman,
starting.
I'm n respectable person now. Yes
sir. I'm very respectable. Ask any
boly shout Jim Tilks, and they'll tell
you that but ! was brought up a tibet,
| was born among thieves, and took to
the trade naturally, and used TO pick
pockets when was ten years old. You
needn't look At yours. / you please, sir,
I've been converted sure, and 60 to meet
ing regular. You could trust me with
untold gold now.
But, as | ,aid was q thief. and
might have been one yet If it hadn't been
for what happened at Bckady Station,
where | WAS sitting waiting for An old
lady's reticule, or any forgetful PERSONS
parcel, or even an Umbrella or u knife
that might be dropped by chance. For
folks that's anxious about getting on the
right trains sL the right time, and nobody
TO do anything but snub EN-, which is
what officials are apparently paid to do,
amt as careful OF theii portable property
as they would be otherwise. When |
was wicked sinner used to take ad
vantage Of that, you know. You could
not brbe me to d. it now-oh no.
But, AS said, l Wa. lnunging about
there, and in came II gentleman with
long basket. 1t was the curiousest bas
ket ] ever saw. Had two handles and
y dl'ck. Never saw such basket
There WAS cord about it, too. He put
il down in the cornsF rs he looked for his
pocket book, and be spoke to gentle
man Who WAS standing near, and seemed
10 know him.
"'Gat it, he said, 'snd it's cost me
enough, can tell you. But wanted It
for the pllection-couldu't do without it. I
s. proud of it brought it along myself. /
Wbew FIVE minutes only and ! haven't !
any ticket. and he rushed towards the /.
Office.
"The other man looked ut the basket II
moment and then walked away. and that |
wa- my time. ! crept to the basket and /
took it up and walked away in another
direction. Nobody oticrd me. didn't /
run, Of course. ju.t went out OF the |
station aud down under the trees, and /
what meant To do WAS to take the yau
sbes out OF it aud leave it there.
I'D made up my mind that it was |
something very valuable, but what it /
could be coul Int guess. | took off the |
cord FIRST. and then ! took the key thnt
hung beside the padlnck and unlocked |
that aud lifted up the cover little. Just /
then there was noise and | turned my
head.
"When found it was nothing to be
Af aid Of | turned back. opened the
cover wider and peeped in, but there was
nothing there; the basket WAS empty
not n thing in it.
"Whv, gracious me = says I only |
not in them words-I was a wicked sin |
ner then-'what does thi. mean ? An |
empty basket And what did he mean |
by talking of its being ysluable7 ? And |
there / was running risk for nothing.
"a risk. was done for, for nothing
for here were the police after me, at least
big arm went around my waist, all ofs |
sudden like, and when ! jerked it only
held me closer; and what was that
another arm !
"Well, sir, | thought I should give up
just that minute, for then and there |
knew that what was twisting about me
was something worse than even police !
mans arm to such \, was then.
''lt was = snskc--a great snake-the
kind they have in menageries. Boa con
strctor yes. sir, that was the kinda
boa constructor and now / remember
The ace Of the gentleman who had the
hasket-he was the menagerie man. Ia
stolen basket with snake H. il. and il |
had slipped out when | opened the Gov
er and row it had me.
Tight, sir, was the word for il. It
was twisted around me until had very
little breath left, hut with what had !
set up yell. Would you believe it, sir,
the person that heard it WAS that menage-
rie man. He was looking for his snake,
suppose"
"'Bless my heart, says he, when he
saw me, Bless my heart. We'll, the
biter's bit il it ever happened. You stole
the basket, my friend. and out Of It came
the thief catcher. No keep still don't
move for pour life. There's just one more
chance for you
"Says l, hurry, please, for I'm chok
ing ;"
'He did hurry. lie took bottle out
of his pocket. and out of another he took
kind ofa folding cap and opened it,
Then be poured something from the
bottle into the cup"
Milk SAWS he, IT may tempt him
away; II not. say your prayers. friend :
aid tell you that was an anxious mo-
ment 'or me.
"At first / thought he had done it for
me for tie snake only seemed to twist
tighter: but in minute the head poked
out toward the cap, and felt him drop
off, and ssw him coiled about the milk
cup. / didn't want to see him fed. 1