The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-05-28
life and Death With "A Snake

A Scotehman thus relates Il stirring
incident that occurred upon the Isthmus
of Panama: 1.-The day was melting.
The path was shady, and runs through
u grove of mango bushes. and being
fond O. the fruit l picked and ate till |
could cat no longer, when what should
dart down from the tree, full at my face
but one OF those nasty black cOnstric-
tors. Luckily put up my right hand
and catched him by the neck before he
had time to bite. l knew the vermin
weel, and had shot plenty o them, and,
TO tell tho real truth, their hugs waur
than their bite, for they don't belong to
the poisonous kind. But they are fash
ious enough for all that, for if they come
to close grips it takes II pretty stout chiel
to untwist them. Weel, rs | had the
vermin safe by the neck, didna fash
myself very much, beyond wonderin'
whather l would kill him or take him
home alive. Mind We, all the time he
was dabbin' an dabbin' Mt me wi that
forked tongue o his glintin' in and out
o his ugly mouth, like the telegraph
needles. Kill him, thinks |. But first
to swing him off, for by this time he
had the grip, and wasna like to yield. /
soon found that there were twa to that
game. Try as l might, my gentleman
would not bulge an inch. tried my
full strength, but M. cried to Jennie
TO fetch something, for was not far off
the station, but she never heard. was
beginning not to like the way things
were going, for the beast was grippin
aye the closer, and the arm that held
him was getting tired. Besides, the
grip was round the other arm, which |
could only move below the elbow. The
beast was coiled over my left shoulder,
then round under my right arm, and
then across my waist, binding, rs I've
told you, my left arm. If oncc let 90,
| knew he would stranSle me, and to
tell the truth, | could not mold out much
longer. | always carried Il knife, which
| knew was in the pocket of the flannel
shirt was wearing, and my only chance
lay in getting ut it. | could just reach
it by bending my left arm, and | daurna
let 90 to the right. And rs fumblt it
gave me terrible turn to find that the
vermin had steckit my pocket as firm rs
If it had been sewn up. My right wrist
was getting weaker and weaker with
holding the snake, and faith the con-
strictor knew it as he girncd and Kissed
ut me, and darted fire o these ugly cen
O his. was sair left to mysel. Thinks
|, Mac, you've got your match ut last.
| didna care so much for my chest, for
all his cuddlin'; but my throat, once
round that, and would have said, Mac,
ye're Il dead mani All this time the
vermin was trying to get to my throat,
and rs found him winding up, the
perspiration broke over me. What was
TO become o. the wife and Jennie, and
inc ava? That was an anxious thocht
to me at the time. Wccl. just as my
gentleman was working for my throat
wi his coils, he gave my pocket the slip,
and left it free. | felt my arm growing
strong again. Feel for the knife now.
Mac says | to myself, and in two
cracks it was in my hand, Then bend
ing my head TO meet my hand-I know
the brute thocht was done-I unclasp-
ed the gully with my teeth, and in an
instant after it was slipped in between
him and my body, with the edge turned
out"