New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1889-03-31
4 FEARFUL ORDEAL.
IN A DEN wITn TWO SNAKES.

~
In A DEN WITH TWO SNAKES
From Tho Alta-CaIlfornia. t
Occupying seat in the reading room Of down
town hotel ono day last week there might have eoen
observed seemingly aged gentleman whose h 1,a
Of his features would twtsh conynslyely Ills name
was Richard J. Allen, and he registered aimseh as
Five ago Richard Amen q Ds Allen S,. =
he was iSmsy known Ns csu1 a soes range Of
considerable area in southcrn Arizona, the Mexican
boundary line being distant but lew d n Ns: cone
sdored wcll-to-do
Among tho rough population o. The border Allen on
nature having well-knit athletic franc and a mind
we'll stored with knowledge. Bat II wss Aliens nerve
the cactus decRed plains Of JEona and New Mexico
q nerve which know no fnchng, even N the lace OK
death. The greasers and indians soon Barned 70
counter they had como on badly worsted, and more
Sn G silent WtnssS g S Dh as AIM for he
never hesltsted TO hin when be nleqsht hlmsen
the class with which Alien was associated SO
greatly was he feared and respected ey his WIG h,a
brand molested, and the most daring OF inc
cowboys and outlaws seldom tempted death oy 100
an iiIstrSton Of his iron nerve, IT may be
related that at one time In 1884 No WA gwen was
ten miles from V his ranch, he having incurred tho
dsploasure OF a gang Of notorious cutthroats there
A sPp. sT OS s@g ss and aS ct @
hamlet. He tied HIS horse IN the rear OF Saloon
and and f Saa. to RS SaSs T S%se S
Not than twenty feet away 5000 PAN hlm
STee rss m %e balls passed in Close proxmt
bis head He knew the Indian bad one shot lett'
with scornfnl smile he said; Fire again, you -
The indian did so, and the next Instant bis spirit
Aion st strOdS into the saloon, where at least dozen
Of his enemies were gathered and demanded 70 know
After roSndiy cIrsIns the gang for elr eowsrdice,
no left and went home. For two mouths ne paired
had lodged in his right breast, almost piercing lho
Il was some three months after this occurrence ecu tTo
Inc heights OF sturdy manhood to an existence out
e removed nom death I was 10 the ss,S summer ?. @oT q
twenty miles nom his dugout, and At night he TSS
he air was sS and baked ground gave forth Ar, an
stoe@sn reached his destination and GLAD was he
whom his pony safely stabbed for The nht Iho
direction Of his stable and ne knew a. Sncs ,.r ra
s The stable on his hands ard knees for he intended
to XII and not 10 alarm, having no garment on oner
,Ined ms and Allen moved rapidly toward the sound
20 intent was he nvstgans the noise tSSs ne
ItSout warning, he folt something beneath him give
way and he was preepitsted TO The bottom % vs
fspt The we'll had been dy for years and tho mouth
had been closed with few rotten noas' Wei :ssd
ing way underneath ALIENS great weight nsn Cause"
the catastrophe - "a, ~ ri.
Por a moment AIhn was stunned. The skin on ME
body had been ae bra IN 81 aSSin The socS@an
was almost overwhelmed With rage, mr ~ ,nns tbe
dent no himself rendered nep ro sye AZ much
behind as lariat and might should .ney ssS az
s ss Pgss !. fsd to R look for his revolver determined
10 light 10 the last should an ausch DO IaSaG SIo
him. AS ,,I n S ssrEHes Sc mir Of small beady eyes
ana poor Aliens heart almost stood sun mr. warn
s Hs p rsttesnake The reptile ratified angrig
and moved his head nom Side TO side IA an uneer
Esy, and nd Ss s SSRq bc Ra TWO Si 70 cope
The snake behind him soon crossed the well and
TONED AS mate, tho two meanwhile hopping up an
ioncSsant rnitls Their slumbers had been rudely
disturbed and they seemed determined 70 resent
Alien stood as II pc,rinod. He knew q movement
on his Part meant an attack, and this anaek 20 Nun
ssncd '' himself bitten By he snakes and n; fancy
depleted frenHIed being with veins hed wa purLl,
Ing RS'O and T stySg R%RR The desperation d the
full fever 70 mount he hard sdes o. sS ~ snr anu the
T ISSA sp RGs'G gave FS forth r1S s y g
" In h1 moment, sun hssnS ansly ono q the snake;
S Ss feet 70 T TSs os@ny thing cryd bare
feet and clrced around his NAKED legs The creature
for moment Then Il slowly began 70 ascend his
limbs TO his body and soon the terrible eye: were
moSeS its head and then cneouaterd Aliens crisp and
s sas his hsf head and Alisn knowing i would sS
raised his hands as auick lehtnihg and grPped the
sTSsSsS ~ 1s,ss Fos and MEN SsS slowly c
strahgied tho creature g death though he fearful
be msgnant IElt IN Is eys. gIoV dim spd npsy
wss dead. but he dared not drop mo dead snake,
for tho other bad become une9y AZ the DISAPPEARANCE
n sea9S n'' fSS S s Ha S'
o. side, tho ratio was seldom SIM and Alsn never
'oi For RouTs he stood thus consumed with fvorish
thirs his nerves At terrible Tension aud his S eyes
him began 10 iSSt up aud lit1s ray OF sunlight
danced on the western wall OF his g9aeEqend prison ,
A ~ sam. ans h: d IS oH
s" d &C crushed out Inc yenemous fS iorOv Their
anG Ss shr lsss A asG su and
And And when o asr be- WsS o as a Ss MOUTH
bleeding at tho nose, and the snakes were torn 10
shreds. r.-
OF death. but his sturdy cpnshnlion stood by him
ami ho recovered, though he was but wreck Of his
stock he had left-for the thloylng residents Of the
foutier were quick 10 take advantage OF Ms helrless
ness-and Allen left for Eew.England 70 recover u
possible. his former health. Bur the shock was too
the ago OF thlry.sx he Ia as lufrm rs \ man of
seventy, and hls life Is devoid OF pleasure. he
cannot remain long in ono place, for his nerves Do
nand constant change Of seene, AMI DO Is homeless,
helpless wanderer Soon death viii come To his 70
lief and then. perhaps Allen VIII learn why this
dreadful plague was visited upon him
ON RECORD, ANYHOW " NJ