The morning call., 1893-04-30

was not enough to prevent accidents at all
times. His turn came at last and it came
very near being the last of him.
He was working on the hillside and the
logs he was getting out were large and
heavy. The last tree he had cut did not
fall as he had intended it to and the way all
lumbermen try TO make trees fall, that is
with one end pointing uphill and the other
down, so as to prevent rolling. But tins
tree struck another before it reached the
ground and was turned at nearly right
angles rad rolled down the hillside for
some distance before it struck stump that
stopped its further progress.
Juan had often had thu same thing hap
pen before and did not look upon it rs any
great trouble. He accordingly braced the
tree by putting stone underneath and
commenced TO chop it up. When he had
cut off log he hitcheG his oxen TO 1t and
hanled it away.
He had hauled away several and at last
came to the one that was resting against
small stump. The stump looked strong
enough and Juan took no precaution TO
prevent the logs rolling, but worked around,
feeling that he was secure. He had the log
all chopped clear from the tree and WAS
making preparations to fnsten his chains to
it for hauling. The oxen were standing
near by.
While driving in a hook the log was sud
denly Jared, and the stump, which prov ed
to be rotten, gave way, and the portion on
which Juan was standing began TO roll. He
was surprised and lost his balance and be-
fore he could regain 1t had fallen off on the
downhil side.
1t looked to him as if the log must roll
over him and crush him to death, but he
tried instlucttyely to crawl out of the way
1t was no use, and he only succeeded in
turning his head toward the end of The log
before it struck his leg. At the same in
slant the log struck large stone that was
on top of top of a fiat one that gave way
beneath the pressure, and formed block
that stopped the log. had il not been for
this Juan would have assumed the proper
ton of pancake and the log would have
continued lis course down the mountain
until it met some obstruction. leaving his
crushed remains for the coyotes.
He realized in moment that the great
danger was passed and turned his attention
10 his Imprisoned leg it did not hurt very
much, and as good an examination as he
could make convinced him that IL was not
broken, but, instead, had got between two
stones that had taken off the pressure of
the log. He knew now that he would be
all right. for other workmen would come to
look Tor him II lie did not show up at the
camp in time for supper. But it was awful
to have to put in several hours in such a
situation. Still, nothing else was to be
done, and he made up his mind to get into
as comfortable a position as possible and
wal; for relief.
All this went through his mind in a few
seconds. and no other thoughts of danger
entered his head but before lie had time 10
turn around tie ominous hiss Of a rattle
snake near by made his blood feel like ice
in his veins and sort Of torpor came over
him.
lie closed his eyes to wait for the reptile
to strike, and the Kissing tongue and snap
ping jaws were close to his ear. He could
feel It's hot, fetid breath, and instinctively
drew back, but fully expecting every mo-
ment to feel the terrible fangs inserted
into his face. His neck was strained until
II became painful and still he had not been
bitteu. He knew he was helpless, but
sense of curiosity impelled him to open his
eyes to see why such strange thing had
happened. At the same instant it struck
him as peculiar that he had not heard the
reptile rattle the alarm he knew so well.
He looked into pair of tTeacherous eyes
and saw pair of glisteniDg fangs within q
few inches of his face. The eyes were
flashing ana the jaws swapping and the
long tongue seemed like a thread of flame
as 1t darted toward his face. 1t was sight
TO strain the strongest nerves, and Juan
again closed his eyes to wait for the end
But as 1t ala not come he opened them in a
moment. and by this time his brain had
commenced to work again and he knew
there must be something that prevented the
snake from biting him.
1t was hard to look past the awful eyes,
but he managed to do it. and saw that the
snake was partly under the fat rock that
had been broken when the log struck it. 1t
WAS struggling as hard as il could, and it
was evident that the rock had crushed
down on the other end of it and that the
snake was prisoner as well as himself.
When Juan saw this he felt thrill of
hope, and knew that II he could only keen
out Of the reptiles way until his friends
came all might yet be well. The snake
seemed TO think the man had something to
do with its predieament, for it never stopped
for an instant its attempt 10 reach his face.
Lsfa. had ttxia tNR "a
ached, and his neck was commencing TO
swell under the strata of his unnatural
position. Several times lie was tempted to
put out his hand and take hold of the rep
tile, and thereby be sure IL would not strike
him. Bu; q moments reflection convinced
him that his nerves were very weak aud he
might miss the creature and instead get bit
ten Ga the hand, which wOus produce
death as quickly as bite on any other pOr-
tion of has body. This would not do, and il
really was as hard to keep his hands away
as his face.
The snake seemed tireless and snapped
and hissed with fury, II curved itself as
much as 1t could, ahd then struck out with
such force that IL seemed as II it must tear
its body in two. Juan could see the yiscid
fluid squirt from its curved f1@gs. and he
locked down its parched, red throat. from
which the writing tongue protruded.
In time when the strain became very
great Juan felt his brain commence to
weaken, and 1t seemed TO him as II that
awful head with the poisonous teeth and
swapping jaws had always been in front of
him, and always would be.
Several times a method of escape found
itself In his mind, but always had to be dis
missed as impracteable. lie thought of
mesmerizing the snake. aud looked INTO its
eyes as hard rs he could, but always gave it
up. as IL seemed as If The snake " Guild be
the one to do the mesmet1ing.
IL seemed as II the sun never moved.
although TO his mind he had been ages in
his awful position. He really mad been
there less than Ai'aff an hour, but it was
telling on him. and ne felt that before the
other men came To his reliet he would be
insane or else Sava become weak ami given
himself DIP to the snake, which was stlll
swapping its jaws a few inches from his