Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-07-16


thfln IN nest Of Spanish moss which ef-
ieItaalIy cushioned the branch on which
fsted, and at the same time shielded
r~4 observation from below. Gus
tart ccupic similar position on the
opposite side of the massive trunk, and
with repeating rife beside US and keen
edged knives with curving blades-such
knives as the fcld-h hands use for cutting
Su iar cane-we awaited the approach Of
twilight and the serpent.
The upper part of the trees had been
thoroughly explored in the bright sun
hight Of the afternoon, and we were con
hdent that nothing larger than tree
toad lurked IN its grcenness.
The hut was built on hammock Of
solid ground rising out of the cypress
swamp, above the surface of which all
around US were thrust the sharp pointed
leaves Of the palmetto and various scar
let flowers, as well as the ragged trunks
Of The cypress. Imagination pcoplcd the
Shiny ooze with all manner of Of foul
things, shaped after the general image
Of the water moccasins which moved
about in plain sight until twilight hid
them.
I was wiping the mist from nv eve
glasses with a soft linen handkerchief
when somotbiro touched no on 4bo
sbonldor and mado ,ao s4art : u;oIoaa,,
thet tbe g,ossos slin,ad from, NV bonds
and fell into > clnn,, of vild rosos crow
ipg about tbe 70 IL Of tbc troo
s.Neyer mind them - hissod Gnstovo
in AN intense whisper .gook toward tbe
riycrp
but without the classes was almost
blind and could not SOC more than ten
fet ( before me. Iheard the crasbina Of
tw,gs however as thouoh some loroe
bodg was MOVING toward rs alono the
road over which we had come. and then
5ga1 ssris Aswung himself into my nest.
.sd. .aa Il 1n,n,af;on oIaa th -
lseads 4 Mnst bo a. lio. oro,,nd = !
.,ors, yon fro ot Tho bood 1n,;I,
i'm # Tho snino and # Tho riaos do not
aopit give it the knife at close omar.
tcrsn
We heard the cracking continue. and
presently-half blind as | was-I saw the
tops Of the young woods grow
ing in thicket about the base of the
hammock trcmbIc violently, as though a
party Of horsemen were passing through
it. Instead of coming directly toward
US, the agitation passed through the
thicket to the opposite side Of the live
oak, where we had no outlook.
While I was shifting my position and
peering through the darkness in
the direction which the agitation had
taken, Shiny, black shape slid about
the trunk of the tree, passed across the
limited field of my vision and graspcd
the bananas. At the widest point visi-
BILE it was as Iaroe aronnd &c . NAVE
body, and in the indistinct view which
caught it seemed to taper rapidly to a
head no larger than an orange.
| whipped the rifle to my shoulder
and pulled the trigger, Just as Gustavo
knocked up the barrel of my gun with
his owu. There was a pause of a sec
oud's duration, and then the shape
came sliding up to our nest, and before
Gustavus could use his knife it had
grasped him about the middle and lifted
him from the perch. heard it for some
seconds after crunching the dry twigs
that fioorcd the roadway, as it moved
with its prey toward the river.
rction Of II, no;s Co.. faa, = ~ =
Gustave. and a. onoo w sr,,,. - "o1ill'ii.s ,4'f
.he ground wbonoo Itoal, ny ,, ~. -
and set off at sbar, , ~ ",s'9 -
road. 'i-'
1t was almost dor,, now h,,4 .e...
passipo ont &c ~ 4l;o,. va
lheard the voices Of men AND ~ 'liv ua,ao ~,
was sbouted uitb ou ~ ,i''iil J.
Gustave's strona limos =
q told von aIas,.
Gustavo oooIl,, ,I "a' 'sn'' salo
him in tbe road > fo,r .aos3, ssopPea 0es,pe u,
i. = ''ig ROAD a lew seconds later. My
like = tiroa - ~ 'i'oe INC pant
rene. The end gf' ~ IL. nc was eP, eool ana Sc,
cigarette burned rod i -, - ll9snly-ngn'ea 5,
''e "el o",ii9a req IN the darkness.
stood it. sbo ,ha,,o.bt 't.i = a. sue unuer-
that carried of her banana. ;, was "a, = SerPen'
You. 'i' - oo