The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1894-08-12


kitchen door as fast as her trembling
limbs could carry her
AT that moment the door flew open
and Grandma Brown appeared, one WdS
a bright looking old lady with bi+le eyes,
and hair which crinkied prettily over
her forehead. and she wore a pttck iace
cap trimmed with purple ribbons; on
pushed her glasses up on ner fleah anu
peered down anxiousiy at eidli- pne
always pushed her glasses back ."hen
she startled. and she had heard cara
scream. -
20. grandma, grandma. go into the
house quick There's rattieshaKe GOWN
In the cellar. .,
Nonsense, dear there are no rattle
snakes up here. If it's a snake. II must
be a gophersnake." ., -,
90. no, grandma" exclaimed Clara ex-
cltedly. MS a rattlesnake, Jrst hke Inv
ones | saw in the meDagerie, ana ne
Kissed and ratified just as they GA, wheh
the man stirred them up
I'm come down and see" said grahd-
ma with decision.
sure as anything" pleaded cara chhs-
ing to her dress.
"He wont hurt me-" returned grandma
resolutely, "and II he's 4 rattleSnake
he mustn't be left to bite somebody.
At the first alarm Polly and Ned had
rushed TO the spot and We're dancing
about with eager excited faces.
If the spade hasn't been taken 70 the
corral, said the osd lady rapidly
by the third lemon tree. or was this
morning"
~, IN go. I'll go!" screamed al the
children IN chorus. and were off like the
wind. Ned was ahead and 70 his de-
light found the spade standing against
the tree. In d twinkiing he had rushed
back, and placed 1t in the Old lady
hand. As she reached the steps even her
din sight WAS not deceived 1t was
nal l - ~. 4tgf nL fh.. raf4
tiles head had just appeared above the
Upper step. In another moment il would
have been upon her, FOR he was cOil.nS
TO spring, but quick as thought the brave
back Of his neck. ana then throwing her
entire weight upon It, never hghtened
the pressure until she had severed the
head from the writing body. There"
she said. with deep sigh Of relief
that snake will never bite anybody,
and hope his mate isn't anywhere
around" Everybody was wild with eX-
element. Grandma Brown had appeared
en- the scene, Mr.. Barnaby, who was
neighbOr, and had come over 70 borrow
that very spade was there, and was
as much aStOnished as such slow man
could possibly BE-, ana the new Chinese
cook had heard the noise and come out
from the kitchen to find out what it all
meant. His name was Hop On-Lung,
and he couldn't speak at all good Eng
lish although he was a very good cook.
But he hal Just as great horror OF n
snake as anybody, and he now performed
a sort OF wild waT-dance around Grand
ma Brown, Jabbering e1cltedly Heap
biz shake. lie bite hayd-e Biave girI
Kill him." he CIRCULATED.
well. we'll II it don't beat ALL" drawlcd
Mr Barnaby 'lrs q rattlesnake sure's
fate, and here I've been I'm this valley
for six years and that's the first I've ever
laid eyes on. You're brave woman,
Miss Brown, and no mistake"
brave chuckied fh1ndpa Brown,
~ sho I'D think she w9s BRAY. She
don't run In her family
" here the snake came from, no one
ever knew. lie had probably wandered
down from some canon i'm search OF
ci ,1li2ation. and SO had come 70 grief.
but he had seven rattle5. which We're
always preserved in the family as me-
mentoes OF the adventure. Ills mate was
never found
Well / declare" exclaimed Polly as
the children SAT huddled together On the
porch after it Was all over. IFS just
Ike a story out OF book your grandma
killing that snake" Clhe incident Of the
Cara Was very sober; she felt weak
from tine shock. She did not answer AT
once. then she SAID slowly The sins in
or hearts are great deal like thar
suake. Wouldn't it be 4 good thing IL
We We're Just as 'fraid Of them
II wouldn't want 10 be thinking OF my
sins every single minute answered
Polly. who with Ned had been allowed
TO stay to supper Oh plea Of being afraid
10 go home.
once when l was at an art gallery
with papa" said Clara thOughtfuliy, 4
SAW the most terrible statue. Il made me
SO Gravity that / used 10 sleep with the
beiclOthes ali up over my head, and near
Is smother for weeks after"
go do tell US about il, Clara exclaimed
little Ned eagerly. Il love to be 80 scared
that the shivers run down my back, and
don't dare 70 90 in a dark room alone
for nights and nights"
We'll. twas OF three men. all In mar
bic you know, and Il great serpent had
caught them and wound himself around
them and they were lighting him and
trying q 80 hard! 70 get away from him,
but they never, never could If they tried
forever; for no held them SO tightly. and
he Vas 50 big AMI strong, and the poor
men had SUCH IA dreadful look on their
faces: As il they were suffering so. and
papa said that our faults would hold Us
in just that way, If we didn't light them
and Kill them before they got 4 real
firm hold on us, and we would be just
like those poor men"
Yes Stree said little Ned emphat
ical'y as he began 10 bop about the porch
upon one foot, III We frfghted en- az
We ought TO. 'tWo1Id keep VS. pegging
away all the time" Ned had not been
nearly as frightened az the story as ne
had hoped u be. lie felt a little dsap-
II guess you don't think California's
unite rs wonderful as the garden of