The Mankato free press. [volume] (Mankato, Blue Earth County, Minn.) 1879-1924, 1885-11-13
w. G. It. u
Homo and Intemperanca.

Out from a dark ravine in Il certain
county i'm Northern Pennsylvania there
issues II stream which, flowing eastward,
empties into Il certain river. | nm told
that years ago upon the north side of
this stream ra~ttlesnakes could be met
| with in considerable numbers, while on
the south side of the stream none could
be found. The stream is not impossible
because of its width, but on the other
hand il is quite narrow n IN time past,
as now i'm many places, unrooted trees,
driftwood and trash of various sorts
formed temporary bridges, making the
question of transit from one side to the
other q matter not in the least difficult.
The supposed reason why rattlesnakes
could not be met with IN the south side
of the stream is this: That there grew
in great quantities Il plant or shrub
name unknown IN mel the presence and
perfume of which were ~displeasing If
not destructive To his snakeship, and
therefore because of the existence of
this botanical 81. Patrick on the south
| side of the stream ne made the north
side his continual and permanent habi-
tat. | have never given this legend the
test of rigid examination. The flavor of
il has been so peculiarly interesting that
il seemed To me 10 be in sense unkind,
impracticable and unpoetIc To destroy il
i'm the cruciblc of scientific investigation.
In its present untouched legendary ma
ture II answers Il purpose III that IL re-
minds me of u story, somewhat similar
i'm character, that ! read of or heard
about many years ago.
Upon Il beautiful day in the lcafy
month of June Il traveller on horseback
was slowly vending his way along an
unfrequented bridlepath through a detile
of the mountains. The settlement was
already far in the rear and the sounds
of civilization were exchanged for the
singing of the wild birds, the chattering
of the squirrels, the drumming of the
pheasants ami the thousands of voices
peculiar To the wakeful forests. Sud
denly his attention was arrested by Il
sound, peculiar even amid these many
sounds. 1t issued from up the mountain
side and seemed To him To be the voice
of birds indicating fear and distress.
Resolved To investigate this matter, he
tied his horse 10 the limb OLA tree and
made his way through the underbrush
as best he could in the direction midi
Gated. Without any special difficulty he
found the object of his search. Upon Il
small tree about iOur-fiiths the distance
between DOT and topmost branch he
saw Il nest-a birds nest. Above and
around this nest iiuttercd and screamed
the parent birds, full of distress and
fear. Below the nest winding around
the trunk ofthe tree he saw Il huge black
snake slowly but surely approaching the
nest. Unable tn render assistance i'm
this unequal conflict, he proposed to be
Il deeply Interested observer and inn
patiently to await the result. Presently
one of the birds flew away a little dist
ance and soon returned CARRYING i'm its
beak II green leaf, which il laid carefully
upon the nest. This act wasimmediate-
ly initiated by its mate. Then both birds
flew rapidly thither and back again,
bringing the Groen leaves and covering
the nest carefully and completely, so
that the birdlings underneath ceased
their chirping and went 10 sleep. In
the meantime the serpent, aiding coil TO
coil around the trunk of the tree, short
encd the distance between himself and
his prey until ut length, proudly archIng
his glistening neck over the limb upon
which the nest was built, he thrust for
ward ms forked tongue to do his work
of death; when 10! there is magic power
i'm the leaves, II shudder is observable
throughout his entire length, his coils
loosen, his body sways, he drops from
branch To branch down upon the rocky
ground, then "lides away 10 his hated
den.
That nest is home, The serpent is in
temperance! The parent birds are cor
rect public sentiment and legal power.
That covering of leaves, prohibition
Sl.