Evening journal., 1893-12-20
4 MIDNIGHT SIEGE.
a PAIR OF RATTLERS TAKE POSSES
SION OF TWO BEDROOMS.

wheat farm near the Ialo Pinto can
yon. He was glad to see me, / suppose, |
because was something from the old life, |
and invited me to spend week with him. |
] accepted the invitation, but was one day |
called to the nearest town on business and |
did not get back TO the farmhouse till late |
Every light was out, and all the inmates !
had evidently retired, SO ] determined to
gain my room without ar0usiug them, IL
possible. Fortunately / found my VIM
dow open, and without lighting a lamp !
undressed and crawled into bed. But ]
could not get 20 sleep, and finally con-
cluded 20 try cigar as a soothing tonic
80 got up and began 20 walk over 20
where had left my clothes for my coat
in which / had put my cigar case.
had taken only few steps when /
heard the sharp whir-whir Of a rattle
snake. The sound is unmistakable and
] was aware that these creatures often
creep into houses IN that region, and some
times show fight when an attempt is made
20 drive them out / did not wait to in
vestigate his snakeship's whereabouts,
but gained my bed without touching the
floor at all, / believe. ! must have awak-
ened my hostess by my movements in com
ing in, In spite of my caution, for I now
heard her sing out to her husband-their
bedroom was next 20 mine with only
thin lath partition between" Oh, John,
there's n rattlosnake in MIR. Richardson's
room. / heard himw
Then falling TO arouse him, she called
TO me; "Where is hep DO you see himw
answered that did not.
The damp was n yard or two from me,
and If ] had had TO go without light
from then until now ] DO not believe
F....
70 have got ono. But did not say this,
however, 90 tho lady There's never any
use in owning YOU arc n coward. People
will find It out soon enough. She wanted
TO know then why did not get up and
kill him. "Oh I said, ''l do not object
to his being here" She began to scream
then and TO try again TO awaken her hus-
band, but while ] am firmly convinced he
WIS wide enough awake TO take In the sit
uation not word could she get out Of
him.
then began TO get mad. The sacred
laws of hospitality demanded thnt john
should arise and FREQ his gucst's chamber
| Of all horrors except such as he himself in
| troduced there from good spirits, and ]
said so. Mrs. John did not, however,
view the matter in this light, and fatty re
/ fused to allow John to run this risk, John
still taking no part in the argument, but,
like Br'er Rabbit kept on saying nothing
and "laying low" In the meanwhile the
snake had again composed himself for
slumher, leaving Mrs. john and me to set
tie the thing as we might, until o mouse
must have run over him I'm the dark, for
we heard him sound his alarm, and the
next moment q ahrill ahrieS Of agony pro
claimed that the mouse mad been struck
This set Mira John of again, and she in-
sisted that the intruder must be killed
"With an my heart, madam" 1 said en-
/ phatically. "Wiil you do itQ'
This silcnced her for n time, when
Johns snorcs grew 60 be something be-
yond all records of such feats. My imag-
ination now commenced 60 grow interest
ed. and / could picture that mottled de-
mon of the plains crawling toward me in
the dark stealing noiselessly mp the leg
OF the bed ON to 70 and-but here Mrs
John asked, "Air. richardson, are you
going TO kin that snalsei"
took in every point Of the situation
and replied yes, If she would hold the
light. To my surprise she said she would.
And in another moment / saw tho CLEAN
Of light In the next room, and the com
municating door WAS thrown open, and
Mrs John, with an extra adornment Of n
) gayly coiored patched quilt over her shoul-
ders, hung over the foot of her bed with n
lighted lamp in her hand The rays were
thrown into my room, and 10y them / saw
a monster rattler coiled up within three
feet OF the bed
] slipped my hand under my pillow and
b secured the revolver / had got into the
habit during my stay In that part OF the
, country of never allowing 60 be away from
me for a moment, and drawing it out
{ cooked &c.
Here Mrs. John gave a new and special
/ sort Of acream--a woman IS more afraid
, OF firearms than OF, anything else on earth
/ and said; "Oh, Mr.. Richardson, don't
shoot. You might kin john" "lf
could do that, madam, / would feel that
. had not lived in vain. ! asserted in q
F.. deadly, cold, heavy villain tone, but re
pented &c. for Mrs. John nearly fell bach
. into bed with the lamp and my hopes Of
, Kidding my apartment OF my roommate
But she recovered sufficiently to sit M
!. once more and hold the light IN a wobbly
/, hysterical sort of a way, and fred. ThI
snake, which / did not hit, as ! only want
ed 70 make him lift his head so that
could dispatch him with a single shot
now furiously threw himself into col
,r and raised his ugly head, and /, amin.
] - NNNNAAAAN NH ANAos UNAN NNAAA ANN llAN
,e fired again and sent the snake down witt
I a bullet through his brain.
Ha, but what was this2 From thenex
2 room, from under Mrs. Johns own bed
~ there sounded "a second rattle like a not
of defiance. And simultaneously Joh
N invoke with suspicious suddcnness. / Ia
M back with the happy consciousness Of dut
.d performed and drained the sweet cup @
y. vengeance with il. Arise, John" 1 sal
IN calm tones, "and slay this menace {
AZ thy happy home, - and, i blush 20 say,
~ again SO forgot the laws Of hospitality a
~ TO bid his guest TO hold his tongue.
~ Mrs. John had collapsed and could onl
=, utter indistinct means. john now ID
manded of me that / should throw him e'
~ cry object IN my reach, which / at fir
Ieclined 70 do, feeling drowsy, but at lal
consented, and showered boots, spurs an
riding whips on Mrs Johns prostrai
form. John gathered these up and
turn showered them under the bed. =
first the snake refused TO be dislodge
and, like all of us. had it only kept /
ed temper would have remained master of q
situation.
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