News and citizen. [volume] (Morrisville, Vt. ;) 1881-current, 1884-09-18

tOgetner was DeQSIeau. LII WAS hAOAO
like broad lounge than bedstead, for
it had neither head nor footboard. One |
end was raised little like couch, and |
that was the head. We had some bear |
skins and blankets to sleep on, and more
blankets to cover us. 1t was big I'M
proyement on the floor where we had
been sleeping, and after hard days
work handling logs I used to think 1t
about as comfortable a spot as l knew.
''Well, it got along into the fall and
we began to have chilly nights. The
euuinoctial gave us a big rain, and for
fortnight had all the water could use.
Then it got dry again. One afternoon, |
after several days of threatening wealth
er, it began to rain. Hour after hour
the rain came down till about 9 o'clock
in the evening, when it suddenly cleared
off and turned cold. twas late In Octo-
Der and we kept fire burning on the
hearth nights, more for the baby's sake
than for our own. Our bed was parallel
with the fireplace and stood out near the
middle of the room. We had an English
shepherd dog named Leo, which we took
with us from Massachusetts,. He was a
black and white beauty, ard my wife,
who had raised him, thought about as
much of him as she did of the baby or
meat least, I used to tell her so. The
dog was fond of me and I made a great
pet of him. He was noble fellow, and
all he wanted was for me to whistle just
once and he'd come. We let him sleep
in the room at the foot of the bed.
Sometimes in the morning I'd wake up
before my wife and I'd whistle just once
to the dog. Up he'd come over the foot
of the bed and wake Katie by licking
her face.
"That night we were just going to
! bed when It turned cold. L threw an
extra pine knot on the fire and went to
the door and looked out. l shall never
forget that look, for it was the last time
I ever stood there and saw stars above
| Skinner Hollow. [ closed the door and
went to bed and soon fell asleep. I slept
on the side of the bed nearest the hearth,
nv wife slept on the further side and
the baby lay between us. For some rea-
son I didn't sleep. long, and when l
walked up couldn't get to sleep again.
Finally I got out of bed and threw an
other knot on the fire. Leo was
stretched out on the floor with his nose
between his paws. He eyed me sleepily
as walked around the room and gave
me loving look as I stopped down and
patted his head. went back to bed and
fell into an uneasy sleep. All at once L
wakened with a start. It must have
been past midnight. I seemed to be
fully awake the moment / opened my
| eyes. and such n sight they rested on
| God grant they may never see again.
was lying on my left side facing my
wife, who was lying on her right sIde
The baby lay on its back between US.
As opened my eyes dark object gid
ed down from off the baby, and just
: then the knot burst into flames and
flooded the room with light. A rattle
, snake, fully five feet long, had Slipped
: down from between my wife and myself
where it had been stretched out presum
y ably to get warm, and, startled no doub
by some movement had made in wax
J ing. had thrown itself into a coil on tn
bed at the baby's feet and just opposit
q my knees.
" "Somebody asks if life is worth llI
: ! ing. think it is as general thing
: but if life had many such moments
= that l should say emphatically that deaf
=, was preferable. For a moment l 10!
: nv head. 1 did not move, fortunatel!
:. but I seemed to drift entirely out of
consciousness. For moment only tn
% lasted. Then my senses came back
! me. and l felt that from the reaction
g would probably tremble from head
foot How ever managed to keep N
=, body rigid I don't know, but by an a7
= full effort 1 did. knew that to stir wi
" death, perhaps for myself, perhaps IL
my boy, perhaps-my God, the thougl
was agony-for my wife. Outside
= could hear the rain dripping from tn
l.
y water running to waste over the fun
% Tomorrow, 1 thought, I'll have plen
of water again. Tomorrow Would
! ever see tomorrow again? And If d
T would l not meet it alone? In spl
of all could do shudder ran throut
re my body. -
= I could see its eyes glisten and dance
g the freight, and the bright rays glanc
over the undulating coils. L could s
~ that the snake was irritated, and l kn'
o r that it was liable to spring at any N
ment. Who would it strike? Either
us was within easy distance. 1t seem
II to me that could see the beginning
"a the muscular contraction which wo'
oro precede the spring.
"All this, of course, passed IN fr
we ton of the time have occupied III Il
ink ing it. My wife and boy slept on.
as prayed that they might not move, tol
tor they did / felt the snake would thr
,nd itself forward. moved my head sllg
tho ly. The snakes head again arose,
:, for the first time it sounded its rat
- Instantly my wife opened her eyes,
- some way they rested on the snake.
IN could see that every vestigo of color
Al. az left her face, but she did not move
A. muscle. Then her eyes slowly lett
snake and came up to mine.
I "Looking back over the nearly TIL
wears which have elapsed since u
I can see the look in her eyes yet.
had sometimes talked about meet
20 death together. Now it lay between
and in more horrible form than we
tho ever dreamed of. Yet the look OF
inc feet confidence in me which my WI
avs ewes almost spoke was something a I
lost does not see more than once IN a
nan time. That look seemed to say,
was babv's sake, and like flash L bees
as cool as am at this moment. L &C
ing. not speak but my wife understood
self she must keep perfectly quiet ana ln
was When the time came, slowly ana
EN-. infinite care raised my head till c'
lees look down the bed to the floor beyt
e or NV wife's eyes followed mine, and
had both saw the dog. The hldeous eye
we the snake swayed to and fro, an
wing knew that what was done must be
1sed quickly. I looked at my wife and
| I IAr