The Kimball graphic. (Kimball, Brule County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1905, 1885-10-30
they beg when they want to sneak out

they beg when they want to sneak Out
Of fight"
sI've heard that a rattlesnake is ar
honorable sort of an enemy, grand
mother, and always gives a fair warn
ing"
at isn't so,.child. That's like a
good many Other things they tell
about snakes that amt true. But
that snake just lay there swingin'
its head back and forth, softly
like. All / could see was its pink.
ish red mouth, rising from that coil
of green and black and yellow. ]
couldn't move-it seemed as though
had always stood there and should
always stay there lookin' at it. At
first / couldn't think. No, child, ]
don't suppose the snake charmed me,
but my nerves were sort CT unstrung
youknow, to begin with, and I believe
/ was just paralyzed with fright. Then
Isomehow pulled myself together long
enough to know I'd got to do some
thing, for the snake wouldn't wait
much longer. There was a rail and
brush fence back OF me, ten feet from
the log. The only thing l could think
of was to make a rush for the top OF
that fence. Then my mouth flew open
and the awfulest yell came out of it
you ever heard. At the same instant
| made a rush, a jump and a scramble
and the next / knew | found myselfon
the top OF that fence yelling in a way
to stampede Indians. l was as much
scared at the sound OF my own voice
as | was at the snake, but /
kept on. Somehow / felt that when
l jumped the snake had jumped too,
and had missed me. l guess it was
the yell that made himmiss. Ididn't
dare to look around, but kept onyell-
ing. 1t was half a mile to the cabin,
and | didn't have much hopes ofmak-
ing anybody hear, but / said to my
self that | would never get down till
somebody came-father, or the hired
man, oroneo fthe boys. Then Iheard
a crash in the underbrush-the next
minute | had tumbled off into Johns
arms and"
"Why,that Observation-Disclosures"
"iou mustn't interrupt me child
and | only had time to say: The
snake, john and he had given me an
awful kiss on my lips, yanked a stake
lotS vi liz iIilN III was iCItpN W llSlI
the whole world forme. Idon't know
whether it was the kiss, or the danger
he was in, but / came to my senses
quick enough when he had his arm
around me, and somehow l didn't feel
rs though anything could ever hurt
me again while 1 chung to him-and
there never did, ii he could help it,"
And Grandmother wiped a tear or
two from her eyes.
what became ofthc snake, Grand,
mother!!"
at was Warrington me on the other
side OF the fence. John killed tit
was six foot long, lacking an inch,
and as big around as your arm. 1t
had eleven rattles, and | remember
they tried the oil out of it. Rattle.
snake oil was a great remedy in those
days"
"How did it happen that John was
there to save you, Grandmother, after
you had so uncermoniously sent him
off the night before?"
''He had come back to tell me he
was going away and that 1 would
never be bothered with him nymore,
as | had said / didn't want to be-.
He heard me call. That's FAM
said he to father. Where is she?'
father laughed at him. That ain'tthe
voice of n human creature said faith
er. That's Fan, and l know it, said
John, and he followed the noise till he
got to me. 1t wasn't hard to tell
where the noise came from. l was so
broken up by the shock that every
thing looked at was green and black
and yellow, like the snake, and SO
father sent me away to visit for a few
days. When / came back l had my
weddinggown with me-that's the one
packed away in the cedar chest up
stairs, and if you'll look in that little
box in the small drawer ofmy bureau,
tied up with black and white ribbon
white for the wedding, and black for
the funeral, d%ear-you'l find that rat
tie with eleven rattles."
Then, with a bright and bealning
smile that lit up the time-defying face:
ut was asnake that got Eve turned
out OF the garden, dear, and it was a
snake that opened the Garden of Eden
tome"