The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1888-01-22
SARPINTS VIDE AWAKE,

SARPINTS WIDE AWAKE,
The Old Settler Talks OF the Days When
Snakes Had Vim and sporting Blood.
1t was plain to be seen that there was
something agitating the inquiring mind Of lit
tie Peleg, the Old Settlers lively grandson.
The Old Settler himself was busy tying fish
lines on bits OF shingles, which indicated that
he was contemplating an early trip to the pond
to fish for picksrel through the ice. He was
evidently not In q good humor. 1t was that
fact, no doubt. that led Peleg to try and relieve
his mind through the medium Of his grand
mother, the Old Settlers amiable Maria. She
was putting on her hood. preparatory to start
ing for the rod school house. where Brother
Shcdhddle OF the Lost Grow Barren circuit
was to preside that evening at an experience
meeting; but Peleg was wild for Information.
and he v~entured this question:
Gran nanny" said he. what's the reason
that snakes goes in their holes In the winter
time and don't como out again till spring2"
II dunno. my son." said Peleg's grandmother,
as she tied her hood strings under her chin with
a jerk; butt guess 1t mus be cause they don't
hev no wife to carry in stove. wood fer 'em every
night to keep 'em warm all winter. like some
people th't amt snakes has"
Peleg's grandmother looked severely at the
Old Settler as she finished her nswer. n
then she went out Of the house with her head
80 high and her back 30 stiff that the Old Set
tier remarked quietly to Peleg. after he had
heard the front gate slam shut:
ltd be w%t to,y, yer VILE 5Ie re!eT; to ID dlfpI s,s inter or
by'eosh, mn that yalsr bpok ysy ben Iea!din'
,0 PsIe s9 Sasiea him ss9't ~ sn Se sailn I bis finger in
his mouth and marking snake-like figures with
It on the Kitchen table, casting 2 Wistful slence
81 Cd M se9t ass fflsk,ne w lis 81 W Res e! at iast. t and. iia aMe
i fos 4 ms fsp pine Inom aas a0S smo X nj In aG% Silence enf By ana ana
""Psleg. Wen yer pinin' for little pints in nat
my my h hair had DIT the chat Chances to study nstur' e. I
hev. an If she had. she couldn't lay down the
narves beinl' strung a leetle too high, an her pa;
thence with ehildhood strSSg ssIl 9., to rarn 3 p L
a lssti acS Sh9r T.. at TO one Rn eIa; now wat were 1t Se
striking q tin rooster on q barn. and eagerly
''Gran'pop. what's the reason. that makes
goes in their holes in winter time and don't
'c %%a II' P siein ' said d0t the Old Settler, blowing
a cloud OF smoke toward the ceiling. and watch;
ing it as it writhed and curled and contorted
ject Of Pelegts inquiry, it's ali cause times
hain't like they usety was, an cause snakes
E Ven dffS Tere a boz the in the ssg sss az ss wsmP dsss slss'
It want SO. Snakes didn't climb fer q hole In
the rocks. in them days, ez soon ez the fust
an was on the taps fer fur. an business list
f fsSe fe en- th S,e ws sss w saog gi wsFG n tess W 1Sas ri GR t an'
chipmunks was sassin' OF 'em on bnck-an-rider
fences III van no snake lens powhar
thort Of It then, an list. sol, down
n ma Tt cut a an, lifted dining things S an Turned en- loose
year ago. ia make ye laugh 60 to read II. son,
'em Off SO slick an, regular; Snakes In them
anYsi a ksG aSrln 2 t EEHos su nea1; an, am mex ,he M0i list la asT,a
back an inI'yd theirselis OF long ez winter last
ed s4osb p sns sso si \ y rass kd .! b. sui 'ist s 50. by s IN the
game e'shinny on the ice; ore SIDE bein' made
toiher side. ez like ez not, ,beIn' gay an festive
p sn, seen 4 sicbt y ike k tSs Sn] ReI es' 1 Tm By = t sSn 2
But, grsn'pop." said Pelss. how did
Old seitlor. IAN Ill Ten 70 jfst ~ much truth;
were a boy. Some other time. mebby, ri feel
INT they, usety muse theirselfs with In them
F fiinP 4ats Of an tlm nssu 'r0 fc S asis ds, nsf ihlp t. d aS
"No, granpop;" replied Psies. but i seen a
SQUASH pie AK was the prize. Bill Simmons
%,NseysE; mind o bout vat Bill simmons tor
deHlin, in ias's now, an hain,t got no time for
srsas.a pis, Peles. halnt' 'dzsseiy like ss.as'hh boss
race, though It can't be a dprn sight more
hse 's satSer, aHli las fail afl@ Wen ae ! ws SSs over 8 aos g
tho fair at tho county seat. to coptribit my mite
an g"r were inveisledH BY the squire inter putin a /.
dollar an a halt on a grey hoss witch were ser.
gray kim in. Wall OF were sayin'. peleg, -
pop Ptd in aSs EtsyP RSess d SS@s la az a rl sudden sra IN.
tesssYS ss in t ans fSssse IsnIis d " sbs 1IS Settler. he
o'the wagon. or sumpin', fer he didn't GOMEZ In
til about twenty minutes n tesi arter fGther Sns had 4
were sayin'-Oh, come to think on il, Peleg, II
was you, ! wouldn't say nuthin' to yer gram
trest IL the Ds i%osterin, 8 agg or ltur' don't reach
out quite fur enough to grab . boss trot. =
the fust an int ia svsr ses, an It carried me
back. like a bird flynn, to sumpin'I see wen /
were q boy in the Sugar Swamp deestric', an
hist'ry mowt ha ben II II, had, only ben writ
right, were out rabbit huntin' ono day, my
eddicati0n not hayin, get along ez inr ez bar
an a rattlin' not fur ahead o. me. ! were In the
brush, witch were poorly thick. an l couldn't
along through, the snow, and a rod or 90 ahead
kim to tho edge Of an opepin,:, The openin'
it but snow. Round the edge Of II, though. !
see a beaten track ~Tunnin' In o circle, tskin' In
the hull openin'. Not more thu twenty foot
aboltin passeis OF dozen or more, I sec snakes
OF all sorts an sizes. TIL was rattlers, an sdders
snakes, an u lot o'othor Kind o. snakes tint ]
cant think OF the names Of now. They was al
talkin' an argyin' together, an l see th't III
we're a peeEin' out an. wonderful wat in the
name o'the golden mill dam the gethertn
were thar ier out Q, The brash to 99s stds ktI