Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1893-11-23
AN EVIL-MIEDED SNAKE.
A Chinanan Who Retained His Proren
sites After TRANSFORMATIONS

SlIcS AAtef lranSmlSratlOn.
A coterie distinguished cosmopolites
were chatting IN the cafe of the Audito-
rum over their coffee and cigars last
night, says the Inter Ocean. They were
telling stories of travel. Tales of many
chimes were recited, but none so quaint
as this by DR.. Edward Bedloe, Worlds
Fair commissioner to China and late
American consul to Annoy, China: ~
will tell you the story as it was told to me
by the old Chinese boatman," said he.
The intelligence Of an animal is simply
the intelligence Of the human soul that
occupies its body. We cannot be too
careful III our treatment of animals, be-
cause we may inadvertently give pain
to some ancestor, relative or friend. I
speak with considerable feeling be-
cause | and my family had an expert
ence which we will never forget. My
grandfather was a poor coolie, who
much as possible from the cents day
that his labor produced. He was very
amhitious, and turned every energy to
get ahead in the world.
" He lived OH cents q cay and put
by 6 cents surplus, until at the end OF
the year it amounted to about $40. He
then bought q sampan or passenger
boat, and became q bOatman. This was
in itself great step forward and up
ward in life He saved his earnings and
from time to time bought other sampans
and hired men to work them for him.
Then, as wealth began to come in, he
bought houses and farms. This indus
try he kept up until his death. When
he died he was the leading man in our
native village and had more money than
any other two men in the whole district.
CATER he died we cremated his body
and put his ashes in a large earthen-
ware urn, which we placed on shelf
or bracket in the parlor of our home,
where it remained tor many, many long
wears. One Gay in house-cleanlng a
servant knocked the jar down and
broke it. The ashes were, spilled all
around the room AS the dust cleared
away small baby snake was found
crawling from the debris. We recog-
nized that the snake contained the soul
of nv grandfather, and therefore took
it and put it in small box. We fed 1t
mon mice, milk and little birds until 1t
grew strong, large and lat.
"At the end of eight months 1t be-
came over feet long and nearly 3
inches thick. About this time my sec
Ond brother was born. He was very
large and handsome baby and was ad-
mired bv the entire community. He
suddenly. however, began to grow thin
and weak. We we're much perturbed
over this and greatly alarmed at MS
condition. My father consulted clair
vovant, who said that the little brothef
was in the tolls of vampire, VINO was
sucking his life's blood, and ADVISED my
father to sit up every night 10 oflVe
the monster away.
"Mv father accordingly sat up the
next three nights in my mother peu-
room. The first two nights nothlng IN
usual happened. On the third night,
ahout | O'Clock in the morning, my
tather. who was sitting in large easy
chair. heard a strange noise III Tue
Toom He never moved a muscle,
thinking it might be a ghost, but only
a,nnnad one eve, Would you believe
~ He saw that big fat snak e-my
ndfather-crawl out of his box. go
scross the room and gently glide INTO
Mothers bed. The next moment ne
Nod fastened his jaws upon her oreast.
A'<. AS he did this my little, brother pc
,on to cry from hunger and to move 70
TT,ar6 nv mother to be nursed. As ne
did so the snake CURED his io!ls oots
around him and put his tau 1nto IN; oht
moor little baby's mouth. An HlS;lS
they lay there my father h oelnG array mV
to move, the se hrnther e 1ainIy endeav-
o %Gsf to s se %H sfH'Hsa from the
tiles tail. ,,o family held a
III NV wicked grandfather was
t tr;ad found guilty and condemned to
trleu' I'VE We Executed him with an axe
a oed ave Mi his body to the family pig ana ana
a sho b sasd now decorates the outer wall
of thn y,ilIaoe temple