Delta chief., 1883-09-26
SNAKES IN THE GRASS.
Detroit Free Press.

Detroit Frec Prcss
II you stand here and peer through
the darkness you can see it all. There
is the wagon OF a lone emigrant family.
its cover weather-worn and rent to prove
that the journey has been long and
weary Ten feet away are the cmbers
OF the fire on which the evening meal
was cooked. Between the wagon and
the fire Is the rude bed of robes and
blankets on which mother and children
are sleeping. On the other side of the
vehicle stand the horses. munching at
the short, sweet grass or listening TO the
far-of voice of the wolf.
This is the background. In the fore
ground n sentinel sits with his back to
the solitary cottonwood. At his right
hand runs little brook-at his left is
the boundless prairie DER which night
has spread her mantle. Forty feet away
are wife and children trusting in his
vigilance. Overhead gray white clouds
are driving across the star-lii heavens.
and the moan OF the wind has an uneasy
nervous sound. Away on the prairie
the wolf gallops from Knoll to knoll and
snuffs the air. and the coyote gnaws at
the blcachcd bones Of the buffalo, and
utters his short, sharp cries Of hunger.
Is there danger? All day long as the
tired horses pulled the wagon at n slow
pace, the cmigrant has carefully scanned
the circle about him. but without cause
TO-. uncasiness. He knows he is in the
Indian country and for the last twenty
four hours his nerves have been braccd
TO hear their dreaded wAr-whoop and TO
catch sight Of band riding down upon
him.
II is midnight as we find him. His
ear has been rs keen ns fox's, aud his
eye has not rested for moment The
stakes are human livcs-his wife with
the rest. The odds are ten TO one against
him.
"Ah! IL we were back at the old home
in Ohio! You remember the old farm
house hidden away among the cherry
and pear trees9 There is the highway.
lined with dusty May weeds. Half a
mile beyond is the quaint little school
house. where the children learned their
A. Is. c. Half mile above is the bridge
across the -"
The sentinel rouscs up and rubs his
eyes. II was the creek talking TO him.
As he listened to its monotonous bubble
IL suddenly began TO converse in plain
and alarmed. He looks kecnly about.
and he listens with batcd breath. There
are the same sounds wall of coy
ote-thc munching Of the horscs-the
babbling Of the brook-now and then a
half groan from one of the children
sleeping an uneasy sleep. And now
the brook talks again:
There was the big brown barn full
Of sweet smelling hay-the pasture lot
with its cows-the pond In which the
bare-legged children used to wade-thc
orchard with its burden Of fruit Don't
you remember how you used TO sit on
tho grassP How peaceful everything
wasl There was drowsy feeling in the
summer air-thc lazy hum of insects
the low songs OF the good wife as she
rocked baby to slccp-why, you some
times fell asleep and let your pipe drop
from"
The brook babbled and tho man slept.
Aye! the sentinel who had five lives In
his keeping slept and dreamed. and in
his dreams wandered back to the old
home and heard the old familiar sounds.
Ssh! II was rustic in the grass!
Turn to the left little more There II
isl Thirty feet from the sleeping man
n rattlcsnake rears 1t head above tho
grass and looks around. Its eyes
CLEAN like stars. Tho neck swclls, the
tongue flashes in and out, and 1t coils
and uncoils itself as II in fierce combat
Now It is advancing now IL swerves to
the right--now to the left--now II halts
and coils itself to strike. 1t might
creep up and bury its fangs in the flesh
Of tho sleeping man, and II will! II
creeps again. It glides through the
yrAfs like a glcam---now to the right
low 10 the left straight ahead.
"S.s-s-hw
The serpent halts. Twenty feet moro
aSd II could have struck tho sleeper.
bSt some movement Of his has alarmed
I'LL end II glides away for fifty feet, -
faA a. shadow travels.
Now look beyond tho snake! Is II
secNd serpent worming its way over
the kround 70 surround the sleeper with
perif I II wolf or panther creeping