The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1892-08-10
@HaetsuH gatel1iget1ser.
A THRILLING ADVENTURE.

Major Archibald Wendell, at one OF the
best known clubs in New Orleans which
was entertaining him. He was well
known as a man Of adventure; and his
story was eagerly listened to by every
body. "It was in Rio Janeiro," he con-
timed, "the first month after my ar
rival. I met an old acquaintance of
n inc, Jack Dorne, a harum-scarum sort
Of chap, who had seen nearly everything
and had been nearly everywhere from
Boston to Singapore. We had not met
in three years, and there was never any
thing more unlikely than our meeting
in that out of.the.way place; and yet |
will give you : my word that as I
sauntered up the shady aide of the street
and met him sauntering down the same
side, we looked up, recognized each 9th
er. and Jack, cried. as coolly as though
We had parted nof fanshour before, Hell.
10; Archl Want to go up. into the
mines? Lots Of fun and good hunting
That Jack vas funny fellow. He had
got pull with some man who was
making loads Of money in the mines,
and he wss at that time busily engaged
in laying up for a rainy day. He show
ed me, his bank book with some very
handsome figures to his credit.
well, nothing suited me bettersthan
to.see the interior of the country: alittle,
and the end of it was that in ten min
utes had promised to 60, and in less
than three hours We we're on the way and
were rapidly leaving the city behind US.
We hsd fine horses. Jack knew every
foot of,the way. aud wasSfriends with .
good many people along the road, and
we could afford to take our time and
travel as slowly or as rapidly as We felt
inclined. Jack bad stopping places
staked out, as he said, and knew quite
we'll every day where. we were. going to
spend Che night. Jack Kept telling sto-
ries of the fun at the mines, and the
chances for good hunting of all kinds
there, and We got along very cleverly.
But on the fourth day. as We logged
along, an accident happened which up
set Jacks calculations for that day. My
horse put!his. ,foot into hole and fell
laming himself 70 Ebadly that ] shadto
walk ard ieadshsm. 6 sSF s
"For several hours We made but little
headway, and dark came down and found
us good ten miles short of fireplace we
intended to stop. This don't look very
promising said Jack dubiously, trying
to peer ahead into the gathering shad-
ows. There's e nasty:creek bottom ahead,
and hate . ike smoke TO go through
there after night. I caught glimpse of
q snake as long as the Atlantic cable in
that bottom and I havn't got through
running yet. But the next moment ne
cried, why, what was thinking Of?
There'sls little hut just in theE .edge$of
this bottom on this side ! ali old herb
gathersrliyes There. Why Of course !
Wen spend the nightright there And
hurrying on We found the hut, misera-
BILE place. enough, thatehel with leaves
and with q great hole broke in one'cor
ner Of the roof, but shelter at any rate
The old herb gatherer was away from
home, but We took possession, lighted q
candle, helped ourselves to some food we
found in the great corner cupboard and
stretched ourselves on his bed to sleep.
We left the candle burning for the fear
Of ghosts, Jack said, and I remember
looking the room over sleepily by its dim
light and seeing the tall; gaunt cupboard
whose door We had left open, and the
darkElole ID Che corner fthe roof. The
last thing that ocenrredto was that I
could see two fiery eyes cleaning out of
the darkness through that hole, and then
I went to sleep. / had dream that
would have done credit To candidate for
3 Keely institute, it was so full of snakes
and crawling things; and after had wos::
ried over it until ! could stand it no 10 Dg
er, woke up. Ilay there foF several min.
uses looking at i the candle, (which vas
burning low. After 4 while I raised my
eyes and started off in a yawn, which
was frozen on my face, IS it were, leav-
ing my mouth wide open. For there,
hanging from the hole in the roof and
swinging 70 and fro, was about
eight feet. t.of a snake. And such asnske !
Boys, i don't believed am exsggerating
one particle whenI tell you that it was
as large around as my body. While l
lay there and looked at him snd saw
those smooth, swaying motions, chat
enormous head and the darting tongue
that was kept in constant play 7 felt per.
fe,ctly conscious that this snake could
have swallowed me without 8 particle Of
trouble. And however anxious I was
for sport, you know I had no anxiety to
explore the interior of a boa constructor.
"Wi.h some faint idea of selling my
life as dearly as possible, I slipped my
hand softly,under the pillow and got my
revolver The motion, easy as it was;
reused Jack, and he half turned. In
stantly two or three feet of the huge shin.
ing body slipped through the roof and
the horrible head came nearer. Jack
saw it then-that citizen of the world
always so fertile in e1pedients- s-and with
one wild shout of Great Scott! Jump
for the cupboard, Arch p he flung him
self in that direction. With a glimpse
of returning reason I scrambled after him,
and in an instant ne were crouched on
the floor, under the lowest shelf with the
door closed behind us. We we're safe,
because the snake could not open the
; and ne sat there and laughed
and cried in the most nonsensical fash.