The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1886-06-03
a little fun, by way of tickling John

upon the knees.
This was too much for John to endure.
With yell, such as a man never utters
save when in mortal terror, poor John
again set forward at break-neck pace,
and once more had the pleasure of seeing
the snake resume his horizontal position,
somewhat after the fashion of comet.
On he flew. John now forgot the
Quilting, forgot the girls, forgot every
thing but the snake.
His active exercise (he paid particular
attention to his running j together with
the excessive heat, had brought on
bleeding at the nose, and as he ran, ears
erect and head thrown back, his chin,
throat and shirt bosom were stained with
the flowing stream of blood.
AS he approached the house his first
wild shrek had startled the quilters, and
out they rushed to ascertain the cause,
wondering if it was not some mad Indian
prowling about. BY this time John had
got within few rods of the barn, still
running at the top of his speed, his head
turned so that he could keep one eye on
the snake, and with the other observe
what course he must run. The barn for
time was shield to conceal him from
the girls. He knew that they were in
the yard, having caught glimpse of
them as they rushed out of the house.
A few more bounds and he would be In
their midst in his awful predicament.
For a moment modesty overcame fear,
and he once more halted. But the snake,
evidently being too well pleased with his
new and rapid transportation, manifested
his gratitude by again attempting to
enfold the naked legs of our bold hero
within his icy embrace.
With an explosive "ouch !" he was
urged forward by circumstances over
which he had no CONTROL" poor John
bounded onward. The next moment
he was in full view of the girls, and as
he turned the corner of the barn, the
snake came around with whiz some.
thing after the fashion of a coach whip.
Having reaching the barn yard, to his
dismay he found the bars up; but time
was too precious to be wasted in letting
down bars. Gathering all his strength
by the time be reached the bars, he
bounded over them high into the air
the snake ditto-and as he alighted on
the other side, his snakeship's tail crack
ed across the upper bar, snapping like
an India fire cracker.
Well, this just made John get up and
git, and he set forward, now utterly re-
gardless of the presence of the girls, for
the extra crack of the snakes tail as he
leaped over the bars, seemed to have
bapished all the bashfulness and modesty
which surrounded him, but be still had
the pleasure of finding the ugly varmint
hanging on in straight line, drawing
steadily at the hem of his shirt tail.
The house now become the center oi
attraction, and around it he revolved
with the speed of thought. Every time
in each revolution as he turned the cor.
ner, his snakeship came around with q
whiz which was quite refreshing and
amusing to the girls.
While describing the third circle, as
he came near the group Of wonder struck
girls, without removing his gaze from
the snake, he managed to cry out:
"cALL A MANr'
The next moment he whisked out o.
sight, and, as quick as thought, reappear
ed on the other side of the house crying
out:
"CALL A MAN l'
And away he whirled again turning
the corner so rapidly that the whiz O
the snake sounded half way between 6
whistle and the repeated pronunciation
OF double-e.
Before either of the girls had stirred
from their tracks, he bad performed
another revolution and bawled OUT
"cALL A MAN !'
Away he few, but bis strength was
rapidly failing. Nancy Clark was the
first to recover her presence of mind and
seizing hoop.pole, she took her station
near the corner of the house, and as
John reappeared, she brought it down
upon the snake with such force that il
broke his back and his hold upon Johns
shirt tail at the same time.
John rushed into the house and to his
room, and al tea time appeared in his
best Sunday suit, but little the worse toi
the race, and to all appearances cured Of
bashfulness. That night he walked home
with Nancy Clark. Tie New Year they
were married, and now, when John feels
inclined to laugh at bis wife's hoop, or
any other peculiarity, she has only to
say: "Call a man." when he instantly