Pittsburg dispatch. [volume] (Pittsburg [Pa.]) 1880-1923, 1889-11-13
THE TOPICAL TALKER.
Rather Wet and Muddy In the Woods, but
Redbird, and a Snake Varied the


Rather Wet and Muddy in the Woods, but
n Redbird, and a Snake Varied the
MOnOtOny.
THIS is not exactly the time of year to go
| tramping through the woods--woodIand glades
are unromantically muddy, the rotting leaves
may have pleasant odor to the melancholy
poet, but they are disagreeably sloshy under
the foot of the Drosaic pedestrian-and yet yes
terday's sunshine tempted me to walk out over
a rural road and then strike off on q bride
path through a wooded valley that remember
as cool retreat from the July sun, and a
grand grouping of natures gaudiest banners in
October.
The tiny infant OF run that had known in
the summer had grown out of all recognition.
1t was burly stream with goodly voice of its
own. Here it spread out over pebbly beach,
there burrowed beneath the twisted roots of a
forest tree. In quiet places the leaves still lay
matted on its bosom, and a water rat, jumping
from the bank into one of these carpeted pools,
seemed scared at the contact with the leaves
and fiustered around for dozen seconds be.
fore diVihg out of sight.
Sc
THE sky was so deeply blue, the southerl y
wind SO soft andIwarm, and the sunshine made so
mellow a glow even among the thickly growing
top of a cedar tree sang two or three verses of
a roundelay that feel sure he had been COM
posing for use next spring. Well, who would
sneer at redbird for thinking that spring had
come yesterday? If this gentlest of Indian sum-
mers keeps up day or two l shouldn't be SUI
prised if that redbird falls to building new
nest in his favorlte terrace on the cedar By
the way, whata charming residence from which
to watch the leaves swell to the bursting, the
grass grow green again, to hear springs grand
concert break from all the birds throats, would
be that same redbird's villa in the big cedar
tree shadowing the ereekl
But the warmth has drawn other and uglier
creatures than the redbirds fr ON their season
able courses. Across the narrow path where
the sunlight fell full and generously upon the
shale rocks yellowish face, tolerably long
black snake lay basking. Very few sober per-
sons have the privilege of seeing snakes in mid
November, but am free to say that anybody
can have my privileges in this direction at a
bargain. Not that this particular black snake
proved an obstacle or a turning point in my
career His snakeship was wondrous sleepy
and docile. Even when a walking stick urged
him to hurry his departure he did not talk
back, but slowly wriggled down the bank to-
ward the creek
"Do you KNOW said my companion, that
snakes always move in a straight liner?
NO." said ], casual observation of a snakes
locomotion has led me to believe that its course
is anything but Buclid's definition of a straight
line-the shortest way between two given
points,"
Pm not speaking of snakes movement
geometrically," was the reply; "but speaking
generally it is a fact that snake is averse to
changing its course, and cannot turn readily. 1
heard that long ago. A girl know once
proved the truth of this theory very oppor-
tunely.
"She was dear little girl then, with light
brown curls, and the strangest liking for
funerals 1 ever heard Of Her favorite pastime
in the summer was to sit on rock by the ceme-
terry gate and watch for funerals. One day
when she was sitting in her wonted position
with her feet curled under her on the warm
rock, she heard rustic in the leaves, and, look
ing down, saw a very large snake with stripes,
which, she declares to this day, were as big as
those ON the national banner. Being a brave
little girl she did not scream, but instead, at
once bethought of her grandmother's advice as
to receiving snakes This advice was to run
little way in straight line from
the snake, and then abruptly turn
off at right angles So this little brown-curled
girl jumped off the rock and ran down the hill
side as fast as her sandals could carry her.
The snake, for reasons best known to itself,
also fed down the hill. After travelling dozen
yards, the child jumped to one side and ran a
few steps according to the recipe. She had the
intense satisfaction of seeing the snake disap-
pear down the hill
perhaps the serpent wanted to go down hill
anyway p
perhaps you don't know anything about
sirP'