Connecticut western news., 1886-07-14
VOL. XVI.

tne serpent uaS eScdpeu lIoui II, aho II this is the case, and we kill it, it will make an item for you; eh, my boys"
 Thus it was that at five o'clock that afternoon Gustave and myself, with a bunch of fresh bananas, were pcrched among the branches of the live tree which sheltered the rough bark hut in which Mary lived. The bananas were hanging from the lowest limb of the tree, about six feet above the swamp grass, and I was lying immediately over them in nest of Spanish moss which ef- fectua1Iy cushioned the branch on which I rested, and at the same time shielded me from observation from below. Gus tave occupied a similar position on the opposite side of the massive trunk, and with a arepeating rifle beside us and keen edged knives with curving blades-such knives as the field hands use for cutting sugar cane-we awaited the approach of twilight and the serpent.
 The upper part of the trees had been thoroughly explored in the bright sum- light of the afternoon, and we were con. fident that nothing larger than Q tree toad lurked In its greenness.
 The hut was built on hammock of solid ground rising out of the cypress swamp, above the surface of which all around us were thrust the sharp pointed leaves of the palmetto and various scar let flowers, as we'll as the ragged trunks of the cypress. Imagination peopled the slimy ooze with all manner of of foul things, shaped after the general image of the water moccasins which moved about in plain sight until twilight hid them.
 Twas wiping the mist from my eye glasses with a soft linen handkerchief when something touched me on the shoulder and made me start so violently that the glasses slipped from my hands and fell into clump of wild roses grow ing about the roots of the tree.
 "Never mind them," hissed Gustavc in an intense whisper, "look toward the river"
 But without the glasses was almost blind and could not sec more than ten feet before me. Iheard the crashing of twigs, however, as though some large body was moving toward us, along the road over which we had come, and then Gustave swung himself into my nest.
 '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- ters"
 We heard the cracking continue, and presently-half blind as I was-I saw the tops of the young cotton-woods grow ing in thicket about the base of the hammock trembie violently, as though a party of horsemen were passing through it. Instead of coming directly toward us, the agitation passed through the thicket to the opposite side of the live oak, where we had no outlook.
 While was shifting my position and peering through the semi-darkness in the direction which the agita, ion had taken, slimy, black shape slid about the trunk of the tree, passed across the limited field of my vision and graspcd the bananas. At the widest point visi. ble it was as large around as mans body, and in the indistinct view which caught it seemed to taper rapidly to { head no larger than an orange.
 Whipped the rife to my shoulde, and pulled the trigger, just as Gustav' knocked up the barrel of my gun with his owu. There was pause of sec ! oud's duration, and then the shape came sliding up to our nest, and before Gustavus could use his knife it hat grasped him about the middle and lifted him from the perch. heard it for som seconds after crunching the dry twig that floored the roadway, as it moved with its prey toward the river. was afraid to risk shot in the di. rection of thu noise for fear of woundin. |; Gustave, and at once swung myself t. the ground, whence I took up my glasse and set off at sharp run down tn road.
 It was almost dark now, but afte passing out of the thicket about the hu I heard the voices of men, and my nam was shouted with all the strength 0 Gustave's strong lungs.
 'I told you Mary was right" sai Gustave, coolly, when l stopped besid him in the road few seconds later. NJ fright and the sharp run made me pan like tired dog; but he was cool and SC rene. The end of his freshly-lighte cigarette burned red in the darkness. "She told us the truth as she under stood it. She thought it was a serper
 that carried off her bananas, and SO d you.
 "You remember when knocked u your rife barrel just as yoi were abor
 to shoot2 Well, I saw that the thin
 was no snake, but the trunk of an ell
 phant. Knew it could be nothing b,
 tame elephant belonging to the ci
 GUS, and it would not do for us to kill
 But I must confess did not expect hi
 to seize me. He scared me so for mil ute could not even cry out; but he di not hurt me in the least, and down hel
 in the road we met the circus men con , tug in pursuit of him, and he put n down."
 '.And the bananas2"
 ttOh the circus comnanv will make