The Manchester journal. [volume] (Manchester, Vt.) 1861-current, 1886-02-25

not move, and when q man rolled rathe
than walked into the room, he Just liftet
his eyes aud looked at him quietly. keen
"; then rose. crossed the room and gently
drew the man TO chair
i Head bad. father? he asked.
Deuced bad. the man answered shortly
4 Something was evidently wrong will
little Bills father, ague perhaps, for b.
shook all over. only hls head and handi
jerked themselves spasmodically; his face
was gray. and great beads Of perspiration
rolled down it; his eyes wandered round
the room, as though seeking for some
thing iearfully.
I'll just put bandage on y'ead, said
Billy quietly; there ain't nothing like it.
What are you looking at. father?
The man had risen and stood gazing in
horror at the floor. Bill made him sil
down, aud hastily bound dripping rag
about his head.
Is il rats father? he asked.
1
The man shivered more than ever.
Yes, look, they're coming on me-
4 He gave great scream, and would
have leapt up, but the childs hand re.
strained him,
There is many, father, he said quietly
and naturally. but bless you, they won't
hurt see, they are quite as close to me as
they is to you.
The mans head shook SO that the won
der was that it did not drop off; and he
glared up into the boys face.
There was sich strange things about
tonight. Bill, he whispered, lions and
tigers sand all after me.
Bill expressed no surprise, but thought
minute.
That's very like, be said at last, I did
hear as menagerie had got loose; did
you run, father?
And snakes, said the man not needing
the question.
All, to be sure, there would be snakes,
then followed the mans eyes, which
opened wider and wider till they almost
seemed as though they would drop out,
you don't happen to see any Of them now
do You, father?
He pressed his hand more tightly down
upon the mans shoulder, and wetted the
rag once more.
There's millions, the man answered, all
a-eoming this way; let rae go.
He wrenched his collar from the chld's
hands, but he caught him by the arm.
Father, be said. dear, dear father, stop
a bit; they won't hurt you, they re-they're
tame snakes, and | want to tell you what
| think brings them here.
The man sat down again, his eyes rivet-
ed toward the farther end OF the room:
the child couged till he almost shook him
self to pieces, then leaned heavily against
his father.
It's kind Of you to stay and listen TO
me, father, he said at last, because Of
course it amt nice to have rats and snakes
and-sich like crawling about the room
if it can be helped, and / think it con, for
| believe, father, it's the drink that brings
them.l
What. yelled the man, d'you mean to
insinuate that / takes too much; that they
amt there really? That I only sees them
in my mind, you
No, no, father, said the boy. gently in.
terrupting him; why, don't see them as
plain as anything, all a-running and a.
over each other?
But they're gone now. said the man sus-
OF course they is, you frightened them
when you leaped up aud yelled; they
can't abide noise. but Lord knows how
soon they'll come back again. Why, do
believe, watching the mans eyes, that
they're coming now. Let me bathe your
head again, father.
Once more the dripping cloth was bound
lround the mau's brow, once more the
,hId was shaken with bis cough. As
vas saying, father, the boy continued
think its the drink, the smell OF it, as
iraws them; I've heard that snakes and
ats and them sorts are uncommon partial
o spirits. and you see, father, there's gen.
rally little smell Of it about you, though
t's but one glass you've took.
Again the man looked strangely into the
,hild's face.
Partial to spirits, are they? Where did
Yon hear that?
Well, can't exactly say father; but
I've heard that India and France and
md Iceland, where sich things live, and
md Iceland, where SIGH things live, and
bite, father, for they're not quiet and
iarmles like they are here, that they Gil
snks with spirits over night. and in the
morning there's hundreds lying abont, as
Trunk as can be singing and-I mean Q
iissing and biting Of each other like
ginkis; then the people sweeps them up,
nd burns them: 40 ] thought, father
hat if that was the case there. may be you
hongh you amt to say strong Of spirits
'ei do smell little. might draw them var.
nints here, for they don't come when me
nd the little ones are alone; and pr'sps. (,
sther, II you jus, took beer for time,
hey might 90 away far enough not to be
.rsxsd by the smell, II ycu did have q
'ss Of spirits now and then.
%. V more the child stopped 10 cough, {
min a, 7pei the rag in water and laid it /
! the MAJ. . bead.
Try ana ca, = Bit, father. be said. and
lently the man turned to the victuals,
A..