St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1891-11-01


and then into another, which was
pitched near their dwelling tent, where
her husband carried on his Official work
surrounded by staff of Indian clerks.
How pleasant, when, after some hours
spent alone. he would come in to titfin
and make her tell him what she had
been reading or doing, and plan sumo
enjoyable ride for the evening. How de-
Iightful those cool mornings before sun
rise. sitting under the purd&h, taking
chota haZari. Or again in the evening,
after dinner, to sit beside him while he
smoked and told her stories of the coun-
try, enjoying his well-earned repoSe
after heavy days work or a long ride
TO some distant part of his district.
1t was on one of these occasions that
ne told her he might be late in return
ing and that she was to plan some
amusement for herself She arranged
to take walk round the lake and make
sketch if she could.
Starting Off with Der sketch book and
camp stool, she followed the path which
lay through some trees and bruShwOod
around the edge of the lake. She
walked OIL in full security, having no
fears, luled as they had been by life
which had brought her as yetnO discOm-
forts, only the reverse. True, there
were various forms Of life around her.
BIRDS IN abundance, some of them very
diverting-such IS the noisy copper
smith, whose metallic "clang-clang, IRE
minded her of the men who made their
cooking pans in the bazarS. Screaming
parrots, making the trees gay
monkeys. Climbing. chattering-busyi in
their family life. Dogs. hideouSs and
homelaSS, but at the same time harm
less, now and then visited them. Frogs,
in the twilight, sang SerenadeS In their
bitches. and the lamp was beacon
that lured myraids of frisky denlZens
of the insect world TO their nightly
doom; while ants large and ants small,
ants red and ants black, made free with
all their worldly possessions. But OF
none of these was she afraid.
Without apprehension she now
walked along.
She had not gone very far before her
ears caught a strange and omin Gus
sound as OF something rustling among
the leaves. In moment her fears
were aroused. She stood SpellbOund
for the moment, mesmeTlZed by terror.
There. going across the very path she
was about to treat, and wholly uncOn-
sciOus of her or suspecting any inter
ruptiOn in his evening walk. carwled
snake about five feet in length. making
his way into The thicket beyond.
She shook in every limb. RetraciDg
her steps she tOttered back to the tent
in time to see her husband dlSmount
from his horse.
She had no words 70 greet him. but
fell heavily into his arms with loud
scream of relief.
'.Whot does it mean? You are ill?''
he exclaimed in alarm.
AS soon as she could speak she told
him what she had seen.
He frOwned and said, sternly:
''YOu had nothing TO be frightened
of. 1t never touched you They won't
unless attacked. You really must con-
queT these morbid fears, or your life
will be burden To you, and so Will
me. and not a miserable. diling creature.
you must exert yourself, and compel
your will TO conquer these SbSuTd. IN
fears"
But people are stuEg by them," she
'.Yes-natives, who 90 about with
bare feet But yOn have rarely heard
OF an English lady being injured by
one Of them. except IN very extreme
cases.
That IS true" she thought. anxious
tO do as fPr husband wished 80 she
kissed him and asked him tO forgive her
Il am foolish, and you are right
VEIL try"
And for time she did Try. Until Al
length she once more forget her fears
and might have forgotten them forever
had not some evil genius prompted her
husband 10 consider low he could best
remedy the troublesome antipathy which
possessed his wife's mind against such
an ordinary reptile as a snake.
lie Was rot a man To act hurTleGly-
He waited has opportunity tlien trusted
To the suggestion il might prompt
Both were presented 10 him rs he
was riding back one morning through
the jungle Coiied Up by the waYside,
asleep. was a snake He at once
stopped his horse Some demon OF con-
jngal discipline whispered TO him that
here was the very thing TO cure his wife
forever of her unreasoning reludlce-
as he thought it. To get of his horse,
kill it and then attach il TO his saddle
and let it trail after him as he rode
back 10 the encampment was short
work
He reached the tents at Q o'clock.
His wife was dressed, and had gone
into the large tent TO await him for
breakfast
He hid the dead snake in an empty
box in his dressing tent from the Oh
servatiOn of the servants, intending, so
soon as they had all gone to dinner in
the middle of the day. to carry it into
his wife's tent and deposit it in coil in
one of the corners. When she discOy-
cred it no doubt she would be fright
ened and cry out; but when she found
the creature was quieScent, and did not
harm her. her fears would be at once
overcome, and that trouble would be
for ever at rest.
He meant well. He thought he was
doing her service. Tine dicipline of
the will to conquer nervous fears was
an article of his belief. 10 serve his
principles he aXacted martyrdom. He
was not uncommon in his ideas in this
respect.
He came in to break fast In excellent
spirits.
well. darling" she cried, rising to
give him welcome, Il am so glad you
are come at last. L am longing for my
breakfast"
AS he kissed her he felt n sense of
proud satisfaction in her beauty.
How well she looked this morning
in her fresh, white gown; her pretty,
fair hair ripping over her still fairer
brow. How bright; how clever she was.
What sweet. gentle nature she pos
sessed. Only that one drawback,
tendency to morbid sensitiveneSs, which
showed her nerves were not as robust
as he could desire"
So ran the undercurrent of his
thought as they chatted gaily while
breakfast was going on. he about his
work, she about hers: the books she
was going to read, the letters she was
about to write home.
Il hope you will te them that you
are very miserable" he said, smiling.
''Oh, dreadfully miserable, she an
swered. mockingly. Il have told my
mother that owing to your cruelty my
life is simply unbearable, and that in
all probability shall return home by
the next mail"
"That's right" he said, rising from
the table to 90 into his Office, where pc
titioners were already awaiting him.
She, as soon as breakfast was cleared
away, sat down to her work, her read
ing and painting. until tiffin time. Her