The Middleburgh post. [volume] (Middleburgh, Snyder Co., Pa.) 1883-1916, 1889-12-12

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Isn't the Major perfectly delghtfull"
said she.
"Humph.' commented Jotham.
al wish YOU could hear the thrilling
stories he has told us OF lion hunting in
Arabia and elephant shooting in Ben
gal"
al must try and dispense with en-"
drily uttered Jotham.
"And those dreadful skirmishes with
Sitting Bull aud his savage hordes, out
in New Mexico"
"Sittng Bull wasn't Pueblo brave.
that ever heard of, " said Jotham.
at was Geronimo, them"
"Wrong again." corrected lothian.
"But perhaps your Major realizes that it
isn't very necessary to be accurate in his
"reminiscences, when women are con-
ccrncd."
"Jotham, how can you be so uniustl"
flashed up Eloisc. "NIy Major, indeed
I've a great mind never tc speak to you
again
And it ended in Jotham Merrywise's
inviting Thcodosia Miner to 90 with
him upon the famous picnic party, whose
ostcnsiblc purpose was to search for
chcstnuts on the rocky slopes Of Rattle
snake Hill, the spur Of mountain some
few miles TO the eastward of the village.
Thoo was not so radiantly pretty rs
Eloisc, neither had she so much to say
for herself, but she had winsome.
shrinking violet sort of way with her,
and in her quiet manner there was some
thing infinitely restful to Jotham Merry
wisc's perturbed spirit.
And Thco sat up nearly all night to
edo up her one white pique gown, with
It's lace frills, aud retrim the Gainsboro'
straw hat, whose roses had been drenched
by lust Sundays unexpected shower.
Tho day, take it all in all, could hardly
he recEoned rs a success. II did not ab-
solutely rain, but the sun hid his face and
sulkcd behind the clouds, and a dreary
wind blew down drifts of damp, yellow
leaves, instead of the much coveted chest
nuts.
And somehow the asscmblage, seemed
incongruouS. and did not assimilatc. The
village beauX were undeniably wet.
b!anketed by the lcquacity of the Major;
their Sunday suits were outshone by the
blue and gold that he persisted in wear
ing in season and out of season.
Whatever we say" sighed Hiram
Pencfether, deicctcdly, "he's ready to 90
us ono better
"Nicc place this mountain" said the
Major, "but it isn't TO be compared with |
the Sierras. And rs FOR evergreen forests !
i just wish you had seen the woods at |
Lake Mistassini, where | camped last |
summer. As for rattlesnakos--"
AT that moment piercing scream rent |
the air. The Major jumped up from the
tree stump where he was sitting, sar- !
dine sandwich in one hand wedge of
in the other. Two meddlc-
some little lads had pried moss- era 1eled
rock from its resting-placc. 1t fell with
aresounding crash down the steep mount
ain side, revealing most startling sight.
"By George, nest of rattlers"
shouted George Ducey.
The little group scattered in all direc-
tions. One or two girls tainted, the
children ran away; an ominous sound of
Missing filled the air. Jotham Merry
wise sprang from his seat at Thcodosia
Miners side.
"ITollo, Maior!" said he, "here's m
to try the back-of-thc-pccll
knack. Or you might do little snake
chlrming-ch"
But Major Bathurst had turned very
pale. lie dropped his sardine sandwich
md took promptly to his heels, speeding
down the mountain like practiced
runner trying for the stakes.
ElciSc had sprang up, too, but on the
default of her cavalier, stood there with
lilated eyes and crimsoned checks, over
come half with indignant modification,
half with terror.
'It would almost appear" said Mer-
rywisc, picking up convenient jagged
stone, las if tae valiant cavalry officer
was afraid
"Kill EN-, somebody" bawlcd Major
from the bottom of the hill.
''Iyo Il constitutional horror of snakes.
My mother was Just so, and my grand
father on the Bathurst side. II you'll
just step down this way, Miss Eloise"-
with Il tardy sense OF his social response
bilities-"ll II see that you are protected"
~ need not go so far as that to be
said Eloisc, haughtily. "You
can come back, Major; Mr.. Merrywise
has killed the ratt!csaakc."
"Got bIttcn3 Whisky's good for
that-or a red-hot iron to cauterize the
wound shouted back the Major. 81
guess Id better go for the doctor.
There amt second OF time to be lostn
And he vanished, leaving Miss Elton
20 return from the picnic ground us best
She might
"Au old rattler and two young ones,
eh;' said Squire Elton, when he came
home the next evening. And Joe Mcr-
rywise killed 'em all, did hel Well,
sooner he than me. 1t takes good deal
Of straight out pluck TO tackle "a good
old fashioned rattler, such as used to
grow on Rattlesnakc Hill, though did
suppose they were all hunted out long
ago. But Jotham's one of the kind that
isnt't easily scared, So the Major showed
'em clean pair of heels, did he2 Well,
I've sort of mistrusted that fellow all
along. His big stories were somehow
too big to be true"
"The cowardm cried Eloise-"to
al a.. 4 T..