The Colfax chronicle. [volume] (Colfax, Grant Parish, La.) 1877-1981, 1882-02-11

pool" said young British officer,
homeward-b bound from Canada.
"More likely bank-clerk ASCENDING
with SPECIE" grunted big, red-faced
| cotton-spinner from Lancashire.
"Box amt heavy enough for that,
objected a lanky New Yorker. 81
perhaps, after all, it's nothing more
wonderful than rare statue or picture
for some museum.
Every one looked disappointed, for
this last idea, which had somehow never
occurred to us, now seemed natural ard
likely enough, and it was a sad come
down after all our romantic imagin-
ings.
But Just then new turn was given
to the discussion by a long, wiry, Keen
eyed Cape Colder, who had hitherto
been perfectly silent. Taking his short
pipe out of his mouth, he said slowly and
alphabetically:
"'Taint that, boys; but I reckon l
could tell you what it is!''
what? What?'' cried every one
eagerly.
"a baby answered the Yankee,
with the solemnity of perfect conviction.
At this there was shout of laughter
so uproarious that passing steward
peered amazedly into the smoking-room
to see what all the fun could be about.
But the gentleman from Cape Cod was
not whit abashed.
Laugh as much as you like, boys;
but what say Istick to. Every day
reg lar, at breakfast and at tea, I've
seen that air critter, after he'd had his
share, start for his state-room with a
cup of milk and hunk o. bread. and if
that don't mean a baby somewhat
roun' I'm Mexikinr'
There was general start. for we now
remembered to have seen the stranger
do this, and wondered that we had not
noticed it before.
For a few moments every one was in
high glee at the apparent solution of the
riddle; but the remorseless New Yorker
speedily blighted our newborn happi-
ness.
"Guess you're consid' able out there,
stranger" objected he. "For the baby
that could be four days aboard ship, or
anywhere else, either, without raising
one squall, has got to be discovered
yet. I've got three of 'em myself, and
l guess ought to know"
This unanswerable argument threw us
all back to where we were before, and a
sullen silence followed, broken at length
by dashing young sophomore from
Harvard-one of the briskest and bold
est spirits of our company.
Baby or no baby" said he, firmly,
I'm bound to get at the ms and outs of
this job, somehow. Either I'll know
what's inside that box before it goes
ashore, or I'll never wear the crimson Of
old Harvard again''
But this valiant pledge seemed likely to
go unredeemed, after all; for, as if the
man of mystery had known of the plot
Matching against him, he seemed to be,
if possible, more vigilant than ever.
Day followed day, until at length we
came in sight of Queenstown, where the
stranger was to land, and the secret of
the box was a secret still.
| But the time came at last. Breakfast
was hardly over that morning, when a
steward sent on purpose by the ingeni-
GUS sophomore) tapped at the door Of
the stranger-who had retired as usual
with his milk and bread-announcin
that the Captain wanted him. Scarcely
had he disappeared when the Harvard
youth popped into his room.
The next moment terrible cry start
led us all, and, rushing to the spot, we
found the mystic box open, and the
sophomore struggling in the coils of a
huge black and-white snake!
For a moment all was confusion, but
the stranger, who had just returned,
sprang like lightning to the breakfast
table, filed cup with milk and set it in
front of the snake. Instantly the latter
unwound itself from its captive, who
reeled helplessly against the wall.
You're more frightened than hurt,
young feller," said his rescuer coolly,
{" for this snakes quite harmless sort,
and as tame as pet-cat in the bargain.
kept him dark while l could, for
didn't want him hurt, after stumpin' all
Louisiana to get him for the London
Geological, but you'd best not touch
him ag in, for his breeds mighty fond
of fool, and 1 guess that's why he was
so fond to git hold of goa! Golden
RuIo