Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1885-05-30
Mrs. Thompson's Hair.


Society in Bayou Grand, La, was recently
startled at the appearance of Mrs. Col.
Thompson with short hair. Mrs. Thompson
had long been leader of faehiOn, ami her
wealth Of yellow hair was the admiration OF
all who saw il. What had induced her TO cut
her hair short and thus destroy one OF her
principal attractions was a mystery until she
kindly gave the solution of il in strict conf
dence to seven of her most intimate friends
II appears that on the night OF Nav Col
and Mrs. Thompson were awakened by the
persistent crying Of one OF the children in the
nursery, which was on the next floor above
Mrs. Thompson. like good mother promptly
arose and went to the nursery to see What
was the matter, ana finding that Jefferson
Davis Lee Jackson Thompson, aged years.
was suffering from an excess Of peanuts, she
undertook TO calm him with kindness and
paregOric.
Meanwhile Col. Thompson could not 20 to
sleep again. The moon was shining into the
room, and he finally decided that he must get
up and shut the binds. he remained in bed
some i've or six minutes 10 impress this de-
cision upon his mind, ana then, with sigh,
slowly arose. He had made but single step
when he trod upon so ething round and soft,
and simultaneously fell q sharp prick on the
side Of his foot. Ho knew az once thar he had
been bitten by moccasin, and was dead
man,
As soon as he was bitten the Colonel sprang
half way across the room, seized a walking
stick and proceeded TO attack the enemy. In
the dim moonlight he saw the snake living
y
ing with the black OAK III the bed-tead. Half
% dozen feroclOus blows dispatched the in
truder, which was then elung 10 the lurthe-t
corner OF the room. THE done the Colonel
staggere 20 the bed ard threw himself down.
lie did not cal his wife, Tor already he felt
too iaiut TO Climb the stuir- tn the nurfcry.
4 clAmmy persl iration covered his brow
sharp, singing pains made themselves felt in
HE foot and lower les and q glaze seemed
creeping over his eyes. lie felt Of his foot
and found that u WAS swelling rapidly. nis
heart was growing fcUber ln ils action, and "a
drathly nausea nearly uverpowefci him
here Is no remedy for the bite of the Bayou
Grand moccasin, and Col. Thompson knew
that he was dying, ami that his wife ON re-
turning 10 the room would probably fnd him
a corpse.
Presently Mrs. Thompson made her appear-
ance with lighted candle. Naturally size
was Oiled with horror az the condition Of her
husband. To her ireuZiet inquiries he replied
icebly that he had been bitten by a moccaain
and was dying Tho snake, he mnnarcd e.
add, had been Killed and was lying in the
corner. To his uaspeakHble amazemcnL Mrs.
Thompson Went 10 the corner pic. ed up Che
dead snake, and. bringing 10 TO the bedside,
said In solemn tuue: Thomas Jefferson
Thompson, what have you been drinkingq
Any other fool would snow that this is
my back hair" She spoke the truth. Her
back hair had dropped from q chair % the
noor, and the Colonel, having trodden or Il
ana having been slightly prickcd hy % hair
pm, had mistaken II for n0ccasin, and de-
stroyed It's usefulness by beating it with q
cane.
ltis needless to say that Col. Thompson in
etantly recovered from his alarming symp-
toms, but he did not attempt 60 leep until he
had made Mrs. IhomWon promise that she
would never again wear BACK hair unless the
Colonel should be appointed ousul at an
Irish port where snakes are totally unknown