The Atlanta constitution. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1885-19??, 1894-04-28
"A MORTAL DUEL


From Harpers Young People.
One Sultry afternoon l was lying in my
hammock in the veranda eating fruit and
biScuits-fOr it too hot to do anything
else-when, all at once, [ saw a little sharp
nosed bright-eyed creature covered with
smooth hair. like sort of cross between
a bandicoot rat and squirrel, come creep
ing along the floor.
l threw it a bit of banana and at first
it seemed startled and made as if it would
run away, but presently it turned back
again and snapped up the fruit, which it
seemed to approve Of highly. l gave it
another bit and then q piece of biscuit,
and by degrees it began to get more faml
lar and appeared quite inclined to make
friends. But just then of my men
came running across the courtyard and the
sound of his footsteps scared it away.
The next day, however, it came back
again, and by this time 1t seemed to have
quite got over its shyness and took readily
enough whatever I gave it. After we had
been on visiting terms for two or three
days, Tommy as I had named my four
footed chum, got to be so friendly that
he would climb upon my hammock or chair
and let me stroke him and hold him in my
hand just as if he'd been kitten. got
to be quite fond of him at last.
Just about that time | managed some
how or other to catch a low fever, which,
though it wasn't what you'd call dangerous,
left ME as weak as water. In fact, for
three or four days / couldn't even raise
myself in bed without help.
Well. one day-it'n be long enough be-
fore | forget i'll had sent away the ma
tive boy who used to sit beside me, telling
him l was going to have nap. 1t was the
very hottest time of the day and every
one was either smoking, lounging or fast
asleep and II wasn't long before l fell
asleep too.
How long slept I have no idea, but when
l awoke it was still SO hot and l was SO
drowsy, that l was going to doze Off again.
when [ caught sight OF something that
woke me up in good earnest.
Creeping into the room from the veranda
coil after coil, was a huge hooded cobra
the deadliest snake in all India, more than
seven feet long and as thick as a man S
arm. 1t evidently meaning to attack
me; and there | lay, too weak to hit my
hand, all alone and with no one anywhere
For a moment [ was fairly dumb with hor-
ror; and then, although knew 1t was no
use, / instnctively called for help; but my
voice was weak that 1t couldn even
have been heard in the next room.
On came the snake, rearing up its hor7ld
spotted head angri1y, and blowing out us
hood, as it does when it means mischief
1t had already got to the foot OF the bed
and was just preparing to crawl up, When
l heard skirr Of tiny feet across the moor moor
and | saw my squirrel-rat friend, little
Tommy.
The brave little fellow never hesitated for
a moment, but went right at the cobra like
a tiger, and gave it a bite that drew plooa
like the cut of a knife.
For a moment the snake drew back, and
a culver went all through it, which showed
that it hard hit; but it pulled itself
together at once, threw back its head VI VI,
ciousiy and struck at poor Tommy with all
it's force But Tommy lodged the stroke
cleverly, and fastening on the cobra tooth
and nail, gave him second bite worse than
the first, wounding him so severely that
he was evidently weakened, and began to
show signs of giving away.
From the bed where | lay could see the
think how trying it for me to have
to lie there helpless while q duel was being
fought out upon which my life depended.
But it didn't take me long to find out how
the fight was going to end, for the cobra
had the worst of it from the very begin
ming Do what he might, let him try as hard
as he pleased to strike his enemy or to
coil around him, the snake might as Well
have tried to hurt a shadow. Brave little