Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1886-12-31
A Farm Hands Adventure.
BY EDWARD STEVENSON.

'The Ben jenkins farm, as it is
callel in the n,ighborhood, is small
enough, but every square rol of it
has always been 50 carefully
titled that there is seldom a week in tho
year when one cannot find what Peter
Scott calls "sights to do7 on the prem
i iscs. Peter Scott, head hired man, fills
a highly responsible post; but cv-n Peter
Scott can hardly testify to the 'sights TO
do' from so thorough an experience as
I Dan Beam, the youngest Of the "help."
AT the time Of Dams taking service, his
understanding with 2ruT, but by no
means ill-aatured, Mr.. Ben Jenkins was
that he should do "lcetlo of everything
in general, Dan'I and nothiu' in partick'
The result of an adhcrine to this
lof this contract tired the muscles
s MS wel!-deyeloped Iegs,and back
lsiy days gut J., to a
g'saat nobody scciate.
saiiy tHmbed oXeSupon his pill
Assn' q 'essoo out supernumer-
On certain September night Dan
snored like steam engine. 1t was the
most unromlnt.c thing to do, because
through the open window poured the
moonlight, broad ana yellow track.
The great black mastilT, Danger, was
singing to the moon down by the barn.
song Of canine defiance Danger hated
the moon, as much as he esteemed Dan.
Perhaps it was Dangers Eowls that
stirred Dams drcamlcss sum5ers. AT
any rate, he sighed hcaviIy-rollod over
and found himself half awakened.
His opened eyes turned drowsily tow
ar the one window aforesaid of his
small bedroom. All was till now, even
Danger. Mr.. and Mrs. B n Jenkins
slept the sleep of peace in the east wing
OF the farm house, and the rest of the
family were elsewhere. Halloa! What
made that window frame look so odd?
Part of the sash, the lower left hand cor
ner, seemed-ycs-thicker than the rest,
as Dan studied it scepily against the
brilliant night sky. What! 1t moved
Not so. Something that was not the
woodwork ofthe corner, but that filled
up the corner, moved. Daa sat bolt up
right wide awake and leaned forward in
the dark staring.
Could it be possible that fat human
arm was being cautiously inserted
around the framework into the little
rooml Certainly there was nothing
t ere worth stealing.
The arm, nevertheless, went on, Slip
ping itself along gently over the sill.
No mortal thief could have such an end.
less, ghastly member D IN cried out in
perplexity and terror: 81 say there.n
He leaped up on his bed AMI stood with
his wild young eyes fixed upon the great
patch of moonlight over the bare floor
for 10, there extended straight across it
that horrible, ghastly arm. And there
upon it rose, of its own motion and os
ciliated slightly to and fro, and where
the hand should have been, sparkled two
diamonds in the moonlight, like the
jewels in a ring The arm was great
serpent.
For months the farmers had been tell
ing tales Of glimpses, far down
in their tangled cranberry lots,
at the great python which
had managed to slip away from "CIaw
bottles Only Consolidated Oriental Cir
Gus and Menagerie" IN May. Incredu-
lous folk had laughed at the tale-tellers.
In spite Of the laughing, calves and
sheep, inexpicably vanished, as if to
prove that the monster really lurked
about the ravines Of Blue Run valley.
Here it was tonight to answer for itself.
No doubt about that.
Probably the creature had been
stretched under some outbuiIding all the
afternoon perhaps beneath Mrs. Ben
Jenkins own front piazza. When the
stirring of teams and men was over, it
slid from its retreat into the cool night,
and Dan Beams open window suggested
entrance. The greater part of the sleek,
fat body lay already in folds under the
panel of the windew, where deep
shadow brooded. The upper portion
was advanced onward toward the bed
and its occupants. The uplifted, intent