, 1877-07-30
A SNAKE.SrOliY.

A ShAkE"STOKl.
A. Tol,t by Very C"nsctrntfona Young Man.
'I,ewa.c ot pckroekrts! " repeated i!cney- !
posted In The car in whdl lie WAS riding Dear
inc, how sad tl.at such warning should bo |
necessary In a Christan ,anA!"
"Ycf, SIR" kai1 young man next him; VI hut
pockets In this very ear. ! knnw all a'n,!, that
atr. I've hren rescued from thc fuwcst dcpths.
Was p!ckpo:kct oner, ffr.'
")ear tac," said the old gentleman. s.artI,,s,
very respcctabfe:. Aux anytr,Iy atr,ut jim
11lks, and they'll tcl1 you that; hut | ~as
brought up thief. was horn atnouH thtevcs,
anil took to the trade Naturally and usc.i I"
espt n,,s Ioas Al s1sa yor. II yoa ~ yis yea. es Ill.,
teen converted since, anu 60 10 meeting rcru-
lar. You ctn,ln trust me with unluld guld nuw.
''l,ut, rs said. Mas ttcf, and I tnfskt
happenc,l 1t Riekaly Station. where was ii.
ting waiting tor at,y ulu lally's rc.tcuig Ur any
torCctiuI person parcel, Or even MI umbrella
ur p<,ckct handkerchief that might TIC lrnpl'el
tin on the right trains ut t'c right time anl
nobody to DO ANYTHING but smut, EN-, Which II
what The officials arc apparently paid 70 sl'.
ain't as careful ot their pnrtuhtc propcrty. AZ
sinner used to take advantage Of that, you
know. fou couldn't brtbe me to do it how
Oh. 70. -, ,.,. .,ou. ,,o.o
was tie clriouscst lasket ever raw. Had two
|la,ldick and paddock. fevgr saw such 4 has,
ket. There was n cord about II: too; liz putit
down tn the corner us lie In'ketl for his pocket
book, ant hc spukc 20 q gentleman who Tas
standing near, anu seemed to know him.
"'Got it. lie said. and It's ts'st the enough,
can Tell you. But wanted i fur the cpllcc-
t.on-eouldn's do wtttsuut T.. So proud Of It
kc1< E1,1t ,tf,tg
only, und haven't my ticket and he pushed
toward the Dfllcc.
]" Tie other man louketl at the basket minute
and ts,cu walked away, and that was my TING.
away IN another direction. Nobody noticed nc.
didn't run, u courke. lust went out ul tho
statIou and down under The t!evs. and what
meant to do wns 10 lake the vaiuntlcs out Of IL
| anl leayc 1t there.
nd made upiny mind that II WA something
I very valuable, but what It coui4 be coultln'e
gueAs. l took of the cord tlrkt. aud then tohk
! the kcT that hung beside the paddock md I'm
then there vas nolse, md turned my hcatl.
When found Il WIS nothing 10 be afraid Of
tutuca buck. o2t'Et tho cover wider at,d
| peepel In, hut there waa nothing there, the
them woi.i4--1 IVES wicked sinner tllcn-whst
does this meant An etnuty baskrtl And wL1t
did he tacan by talking of its oelnE vaiuablsf
| hu1 tAEiE - - u At3A AVt
| IA rlsk. ! WIS lonc fur, lor nothing; for
here were the police after mel At seatt j biz
arm went round ny walst, alI u sudden like,
and when ! jcrkedit only held me closer; and
"Well. sr, thought ! should 1nst eivr up
| that minute, for there and then ! knew that
wl.a. was twisting about nc was something
| worse than even policeman's arm TO such "a
| was then.
! "lt was a snake,-a great snske,--the kind
| they have in Menagcrjes. Boa constrctnrs.-
yes, sir, that waa tue ktnd.--a hoa coi,stfttor;
and now remembered tue faee Of the gentle
erie n,an. I'D stolrn basAet Will. \ shake il,
II, and It hal eliptsed out when ssopened tho
cover, and uuw It ha4 INC. =.
| "Ttght, sir, was no word for i. II was
twtstrd around me until haI'v very little brtath
left, hut with what | did have ! set up yell.
Would yt.u believe II, air, the person tisas heard
me WIS that p.sna.trte pau; hr Was looking
for hts snak~, huppxsc.
'h.css my heart. Well, ihe bt,rrs bit, II Il eve!
happened. You stole the tz.ket MT TREND, and
ont Of # came the thEef@atclser. No. Keen
tt,ll: don't move m for your lite' There's 1u't
"says /, hurry. please, sir; I'm ehokin'.
"Hu lid hurry. lie tuuk q bottle OUT OF bis
packet, md out Of anotltc Ae TOOK klnd ol !
folding cup aud opeae.l Il. Then be poured
something from the bottle 1nko the cup.
"S!,ik,' nvs he, 'Itm may tempt YIN away;
not, sly your prayers, f1cnd;t and tell you
that wae asi nNxluus hlotnent tor INT.
"At llrst thought he had dune for mt. for
the snake only SEEMED u twist tighter; hut In Z
minute tho head pokei out toHnti tue cup, uud
] felt hin drop Of, ahl saw him cul!cd about
tho milk cup. 'ldtdn't want to sec him fed.
went.
"But it wM lesson for me. It put an end
to my course Of wsekcdncs.. This Is my sta
ticn, sir: good afternoon. 'Fhert lsnft moss
respectable " mofs hunest Young 1n4n ahaa
4 <ur1 At1F& A. ~ At1 hA al IA