The Logan County banner. [volume] (Logan, W. Va.) 1889-1903, 1889-06-13

man was almost oyerwhelmed wkh
rage, for in this accident be saw him.
self rendered helpless and knew the
thieves, II any there were, would not
leave as much behind as lariat and
might, should they discover his posi-
ton, kill him. With muttered curse
Of despair he turned 70 lock fer his re-
yolver, determined to fight ID the last
should an attacks be made upon him.
As he turned he saw cleaning and
flashing in the murky darkness pair
of small, beady eyes, and poor Aliens
heart almost stood still. for warning
hiss and rattle told him he had In the
we'll as a companion rattlesnake.
Thereptile ratified angrily and moved
his head from side to side in an
uncertain way, and then behind Allen
there came an answering sound aud
he knew he had two reptiles to cope
with instead.of one.
The snake behind him soon crossed
the well and joined its mate. the two
meauwhile Keeping up an incessant
rattle. Their slumbers had been
radeiy Disturbed ind they Dc
termined to resent it II possible.
Allen stood as II petrified. He knew
a movement on his part meant an at
tack. and this attack to him must re-
suit in death. And such a death! He
imagined himself bitten by the snakes
and his fancy depicted a .frenzied be-
ing with veins filed with burning
poisonwffdiy graphing with the scaly,
venpmous reptiles, and striving with
the desperation OF the awful fever to
mount the hard sides OF the well and
die on the plain above, beneath Gods
smiling stars. The sweat poured
from the poor mans body in streams.
The snakes gave forth that musky
odor peculiar to them, and this, taken
with the closeness and warmth Of the
air, produced a sensation as Of suffo-
cation.
In a moment, still kissing angrily,
one OF the snakes began to move, and
Allen saw it's glistening eyes at his
feet. The clammy thing crawled over
his bare feet and circled around his
naked legs. The creature seemed to
like the warmth OF Aliens body and
stopped moment Then it slowly
began to ascend his limbs to his body.
and soon the terrible eyes were look.
ing into those Of Allen and they seemed
to burn through his brain. Up over
his face the creature moved its head
and then encountered Aliens crisp and
curry hair With an angry rattle the
snake drew back his head, and Allen,
knowing it would strike. raised his
hand as quick as lightning and gripped
the creature by the throat. With the
other hand he grasped the rattIes, and
then he sloWly " surely strangled the
creature to death, though the fearful
effiuvia which it emitted almost caused
him to faint. For half an hour he held
the snake firmly; he saw-the malignant
light in its eyes grow dim and finally
disappear, and then he knew one
enemy at least was dead. But he
dared not drop the dead snake, for the
other had become uneasy at the dis
appearance of its mate and seemed on
the point of starting out in search.
The fierce, glaring eyes moved from
side to side, the rattle was seldom still,
and Allennever for q moment took his
eyes from those hostile orbs.
For hours he stood thus, consumed
with fexerish thirst, his nerves at a
terrible tension and his eyes strained
and almost bursting. Then the sky
above him began to light up and a
little ray of sunlight danced. on the
western wall Of his underground prison.
In few moments the well was quite
light, and then Allen and his remain
ing enemy saw each other at the same
instant. The snake coiled and sprang,
but ALLEN was too active. He stepped
to one side and let the snake GO by
him, and then, with small club,
ert7hed out he.venomous life forever.
Then it was that Aliens great nerve
gave way. Heyeited and shrieked and
cursed and tore in mad delirium;
and. when neighbors,, attracted by his
cries, rescued him an hour later he
was frothing at the mouth, bleeding at
the nose, and the snakes were torn to
shreds.
For weeks he lay in his cabin on the
|souter edge of death, but his sturdy
constitution stood by him and he re.
covered, though he was but q wreck
of hi. former self. His neighbers
srounded-up" what little stock he had
left-for the thieving residents Of the
frontier were quick to take advantage
of his helplessness-and Allen left for
New England to- recover, if possible,
his former health. Butlthe shock was
too severe and Allen will never be
man again. At the age, of thirty-six
he is as infirm as man of seventy,
and his life is devoid of pleasure. He
can not remain long in one place, for
his nerves demand constant change
obscene, and he is homeless, helpless
wanderer Soon death will come to
his relief and then, perhaps, Allen will
learn why this dreadful plague was
visited upon him.
"a Pigs in the Glover.
Mre. Rrioos- Yo,, can't pet,ern Ii