The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1884-02-28
MY WEE ENEMY.


tonwood, and lying with my head on
the saddle lazily puff my pipe and
watch the motions of jaybird hop
ping from limb to limb and acting
queerly even for a jay.
A July day-a warm sun-an out
look for miles and miles across prai-
rie as level as a table. Down in the dip
to the right the horses are feeding; on
the other side of the grove. at the
spring, the men are cooking, mending,
and cleaning their weapons. 1t is
lazy, dreamy, languid hour. 1t is an
exertion to even puff at the pipe.
..Say! Sayr'
1t was the jaybird who called out to
me. He-w on branch directly over
head, and with neck sofar outstretched
that he is almost off his balance, he is
looking me straight in the eye I've
seen jay birds by the thousand, but |
never heard of one talking before.
You called: Say! Sayr Well, say
on"
Whats that2'' he called as be
whirled himself about on the limb and
looked down upon the prairie.
whats what? Perhaps it's coy
ote skulking through the grass to have
look at us and hunt for scraps Of
food. What sort eff a jaybird are you
that you have never seen a coyote be-
fore?''
He looked down upon me in deep dis
gust, turning his head from side to
side, and finally demanded:
"Say, are you awake?"
''Of course | am! Where are your
eyes that you can't see that mine are
wide open?"
Say! say! sayr' he shouted as he
hoped around as though terribly ex-
cited
Say yourself! If you don't stop
this nonsense l will get up and fling a
club at you!''
''You will, eh! you will, eh!'
eyes, l will. The idea of hop-o'-
my-thumb like you bothering around
here and keeping me out of nap is
little too steep. Come, be off with
your
..Sayr' he called in lower voice, as
he dropped down about two feet ''he's
coming! He's crawling from that heap
of rocks straight towards you!'
''Bosh! A coyote would be fright
ened by the cry of a child -
"A c-o-y-o-t-e," he drawled in tones
of disgust, ''who said it WAS q coyote?
You seem to have coyote on the brain" "
''Is it q wolff"
"Worse!"
''Flnther?"
stWorser'
''Come, now, don't tell me it is a
grizzly! Such brute was never seen
within a hundred miles of this spot. :"
"Worse! worse! worser' he shrieked
as he fiuttered his wings and hoped
about.
"a Sioux warrior creeping up to
scalp me? Ha! ha!'
"Worse than thatr' he solemnly an
swered as he dropped to the very low
est limb. ga monster rattlesnake is
crawling towards you! He's close to
that stump at your left Spring to
your feet and rush awayr'
Hold on 4 minute and let me see,
Certainly there are serpents on the
prairie. but they go their own way un-
less disturbed.
There! there! there!'
l can see without turning my head.
Between me and the stump, and not
three PAGES away, rattler throws him
self into a coil at the jays shrill voice.
His head waves to and fro like some
flower bending before the summer
breeze, and the r-r-r-r of his rattle
sounds like pouring buck shot into q
tin pan. | can see the neck puff and
swell-the fiery tongue dart out and in
the tiny Goals of fire placed in his
head for eyes"
Jump! jump! jump screams the
jay.
I'll wait! It's horrid sight, yet
there is something strangely pleasing
in it. Artists picture death as a grim
and tieshless skeleton, clutchin% at our
throats with bony fingers. Why not
have the head of a rattlesnake? Be
hind that tongue are fangs filled with
quick and terrible death.
''Too late! too latei" calls the jay
bird as he flies higher.
Yes, the snake has Strengthened out
and is crawling nearer. Before l could
leap up he would coil and spring, and
that spring would strike those terrible
fangs into my flesh.
''Lie still, whispers the bird,
Yes. The pipe had dropped to the
| grass, the sun seemed warmer, and the
hour had more languor than before. |
can hear the men laughing and singing
and now and then there is 4 neigh from
one of the horses. Lie still! Why, if
one were to offer me all the gold ever
| mined in California would not make
movement of my arm to break this
| dreamy, peaceful spell.
He's right beside your says the
bird
Yes, can :eel and hear him, and the
odor is one never to be forgotten. The
man who has lock of hair cut from
| his head by bullet tells of his narrow
escape from death. The man who feels
prairie rattlesnake crawling between
his outstretched arm and side never
| lives to relate it.
'Shut your eyes.
/ can not. If L knew they were to
gaze upon all the horrors of a yeritable
hell 1 could not close them. They are
wide open as that terrible head rises
slowly up within a foot of my face. |
said the eyes rather resembled Goals of
fire. What is the glow OF coal COM