The Irish standard., 1890-04-05
WONDERFUL NERVE.
Goodness Displayed by q Man In
an Awful Predicament

"Speaking OF snakes III ones ooots,
said the .sold timer" sit was on this
road in the time of it's building, and in
this same rising country we are now
passing through, that man had the
worst case Of snake in his clothes that
ever knew Of. But this was no mirage,
but a real, sure-enough RATHER that
crawled under the shirt of a sober man."
The Union Pacific train was then en-
tering the foothills of the Rocky
Mountains. A little party Of passen-
gers, accidental acquaintances, were In
the smoking compartment OF the palace
car enjoying their cigars and talking OF
matters relating to the country through
which we were travelling. The CONVEX
sation had turned upon snakes, the sub
iect arising, perhaps, from the fact that
Z commercial traveller in the sleeping
car behind US, who had for several
weeks been rehearsing the overture for
the occasion in the drinking places Of
Denver, had been entertained in his
berth all the previous night by piano.
ramic procession composed OF represent
atives Of the reptile kingdom in 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 voclfer-
Gus attempts to scare away the intruders
that he had been taken from the train
and left under medical care at wayside
stat: n. This final episode had just oc-
CURED, and as the train moved on the
passengers fell to talking upon the sub
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 ssold-tiner,"
portly capitalist from the mining re-
zion. went on with his narration, and we
all listened.
ga party OF us were in those hills
yonder,'' he said, ''when the railroad
was building, getting out ties on con- ON
tract, and were camping one night In a
little grassy valley among the bluffs,
We were sleeping on the bare ground In
the open air. twas late in September,
and the nights were getting cool In the
mountains, and each man had turned in
with his clothes on, and rolled up in all
the blankets he could muster. Next to
me lay an Illinois man named Robert
Jellison, cool, moderate sort Of fellow,
but with plenty Of nerve, as you shall
hear. Some time about midnight was
awakened by hearing Jellison call to me
in i low voice. MY first thought on
.wakin. was that some one might be tam
pering with the horses, and not wishing
Is make any demo alton until I found
out what quarter the trouble was II, I
got my hand on my revolver and Wills
pered, without moving: IL
i.'.'.What's up, Bob? Indians?
stsJellison was lying on his back, per
feotly motionless. Without stirring, he
spoke in the same tone as before:
tho, I wish it were. I think q
snake has crawled up my trousers leg.
Don't raoye only as I tell you. Don't
wake the boys. He's quiet now and !
/ don't want him set agoing But get up
easy and start fire. 81. l !. 81 q
$50 slipped out Of my blankets, and
noYiA IL around easy, raked the brands
~ the camp fire together piled on some
wood and tsoon had : blaze. lie / did
this Ellison was speaking s. 3 monot-
\ nous tone wiithpntt moving his lips.
feeling his Way along md yer'
INV INV shirt, but he's keeps moving ri, Eall
Hisl head - - b u " nv