Telegram-herald., 1890-02-17
WONDERFUL NERVE.
Goodness Displayed by a Man In
an Awful Predicament.

Speaking OF snakes in ones boots
said the "old timer lit was on this
road in the time OF its building. and in
this same rising country we are now
passing through, that a man had the
worst case of n snake in his clothes that
I ever knew OF. But this WAS no mirage,
but real. sure-enOugh rattler that
crawled under the shirt of a sober man.
The Union Pacific train was then en-
tering the foothills o! the Rocky
Mountains little party OF passen-
gers, accidental scquaintances. were In
the smoking compartment of the palace
car enjoying their cigars and talking of
masters relating TO the country through
which we were travelling. The conver-
sation had turned upon snakes, the sub
ject arising, perhaps. from the fact that
a commercial traveller in the sleeping
car behind us, who had for several
weeks been rehearsing the overture FOR
the occasion ~ the drinking places of
Denver. had been entertained in his
berth all the previous night by pano-
ranic procession composed OF represent
atives Of the reptile kingdom in a state
OF contorted activity. He had become
somewhat worked up under the per
sistency Of the visitation, and so dis
turbed his fellow passengers by vocifer-
Gus attempts 10 scare away tho intruders
that ne had been taken from the train
and left under medical care al wsyside
station. This final episode had just oc-
CURED, and as tho train moved on the
ell L a h
iect OF the delirium tremens as manifest
ed under the inspiring conditions OF the
boundless West, and, from talking OF
imaginary snakes. We came to the sub
iect OF real ones. The "old-timer," a
portly capitalist from .he mining re-
zion, went on with his narration, and We
all listened.
A party OF Us were in those hills
vonder." he said. when the railroad
was building. getting out ties on con
tract, and we're camping one night IN
little grassy valley among the bluffs
We were sleeping on the bare ground in
the open air. twas late In September,
and the nights we're getting cool IN the
mountains. and each man had turned in
with his clothes on, and rolled Up in all
the blankets ne could muster. Next -
me lay an Illinois man named Robert
.Jellison. a cool, moderate sort of fellow,
bat with plenty oi nerve. as you shall
hear. Sone time about midnight J VAS
awakened hT hearing Jellisou call % me-
IN low voice. NJ first thought on
waking WAS shat some one II ight be tam
poring with fho horses. and not Wishing
70 make any demonstration until found
out what quarter The trouble was in. 7
Got ny hand on nv revolver and Vhis-
pe-cd. without moving
What's I'd. Bob7 Indisns7
"Jellison VAS lying on his back. per-
feotly uotionless. Without stirring he
spoke in the sau'e tone "a before:
No. vish II were think =
snake has cr@wled ap M trousers leg
Don't move only ss 7 al Won. D'n't :
wake the boys- He's quiet now and I
don rant him ses sToinE Bat get up
easy ard stsrt h-e
20 slipped out % n7 blankets ard
moving around easy. rskei the brands
% tbe campfire together piled on some
WOOD and soon had blaze Whiie 6id
shis Jelltson -ss speaking r. uonot
onous tone without moving his liPs
Hes feeling Re vsT Along u11sr
~ shir- bat he kse7s moving ~ a.
the t~s His sead - "a 60 a. ~
aTn p = sl-esd ? sn3 re rsil -sn over
nv iastep re- tbink res MS
long and rsfshs a t6ouss7d ponds ~
the inch. TIE f-rssl -iEht tsnt -
=