Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1886-07-07


hanging from the lowest limb Of the
tree, about six feet above the swamp
grass, and was lying Immediately over
them in a nest of Spanish moss which cf-
iectually cushioned the branch on which
J rested, and at the same time shielded
'ne from observation from below. Gus
tavc occupied similar position on the
opposite side of the massive trunk, and
with arcpeating rife beside us and keen
edged knives with curving blades-such
knives as the field hands use for cutting
sugar conc-wc awaited the approach Of
twilight and the serpent.
The upper part of the trees had been
thoroughly explored in the bright sun
light Of the afternoon, and we were con.
tidcnt that nothing larger than tree
toad lulkcd IN its grccnncss.
The hut was built on q hammock Of
solid ground rising out Of the cypress
c,,.,,,,,> olo,,o ,l,, r,,,r,oo Of ,,.I,i,L al
,nounh -. n,o,o ,,,r,., Ala sro,,,.no no;n,ol
leaves of the palmetto and various scar
let flowers, as well a, the ragged trunks
or ,1,o o,,o., 1o,.;n,4;o,, ,,oon,,l III,
,,;n,, oono n;r al ,,on,dr or or r,rI
n,;na. shorod ortcr tho ao,,crol im,,o
of uIo na,or moooosirs ,vhich r,ovod
.Lo,,t :, ,,,ain .i,I,t m,,ta tnfi.,h, h,lil
n,o,,
1... ,..;,;,. .,.,,;. rno., ,,,. o,,o
,,a.,oa ,,ith ,ort rnon tandr,or,,,ior
-','.1.. ,...,', a..
""cn soi''ct"'"S ''o''''' ''' oI '1e
Sl'ou'ucf anu 'I'"oc INC Su'' 80 ''o''"',y
'''.' .'.e S'"S'eS S"Pl'. 'Io'' my '"''''
anu lc'' il'o c'"'''P VI "i'' 'o''' s'o"-
my "po0' ''' lo..' u VI, .''''
never '''i''' '''V"'' "'SS'o 0",'"''
III "n intense ""''IV'' 'o'N 'o""'0 '"0
'',.'' -,
Du' "!."0"V ''0 s'"o''' "'' "'"'o''
'''nN. ".'' 'o"'' NV o., "'''' '''',' WI,
lcc' ocio'' ''i'' 'V',''" ','o crashing Vi
'"'SS' no"e'ei' rs ''oUS'i So.''0 i"is'
oo''y was moving 'o""to u.s. "i'"9 '"e
road over which we had como, and then
oust"vo swung ",,'',''' i,'.o III! H0''' ,
"It is coming" he whispered, "and
from the commotion along the cotton
woods it must be as big around as a
horse. You fire at the head. ] will
aim at the spine, and if the rifles do not
stop it give it the knife at close quar-
tcrs."
we hcaru inc cracking continue anu
PFcSchliy-li"I' o''"" Us "'S-l Sd" Vno
tops Oh inc young co''on-"oo'' grow
ing Ill 'h'cNc' ABOUT 'H9 oa'c "l 'I'e
NoIhh'ocN 'FcINO'' ''o'c""y' rs tn'"Sh 1"
party oi hor'cINch were passing 'hro"Sh
It, Instead OF coming directly toward
u.s. the agitation passed through the
thlcket to the opposite s'de oil the i've
OAK Where we had no outlook
NhIle was shifting my position ant
pccrlng through the Srm'-IarNhcsS IN
the direction which the arita ion had
taken, a slimy, black shape slid about
thc trunk Of fine tree. passol across tbc
limited field of my vision and cra,pcl
thc bananas, Al the widest point visi-
bic it was as ar.c around as a mans
body. and in thc mdi,tinct view which
CAUGHT if seemed 70 ,opcr ron;lly to q
hood no Iorrcr than IN ORANGE
whinnnl fine rifle to my shouI Ter
and rurnd thc ,rirror inst os Gus,,vc
l,ocI,od mn tbo LorroI If nv, orr, with
his own Tbcro wa, a n,n,c Of . sec.
ord,s duration aud thor tb, shane
co,,o sIili,,, ~, 70 opr most orl L,ror,
Cpstovus conIl nsn his knife If had
crashed him obopt fine middle and lifted
hin, from, ,,o rorcb bc,rl if for soma
sooo,ls after cr,rchf,o tbo d,v trir,
,bo+ noorcd tho ro,.lwav os il movrJ
.,;tl, ;ts ,r,r ,ov,orl ,ho r;,or