Abilene weekly reflector. [volume] (Abilene, Kan.) 1888-1935, 1894-10-11
THE BITE OF A COBRA.
How the Man That Receives 1t
Must Suffer.
The Thrilling Story Told by British sol'
disr-A Horrible Experience That
Whitened His HAir-Through
Years Of Torture.

II wonder Wnat sOrt OF u scuhStioh
It Is to be bitten by cobra and know
that one must die in half hour or SOP"
drawled out Capt. Gordon, as he pulled
lazily at his cheroot on the veranda OF
the One Hundred and Ninth hussars'
mess at Fyzabad.
II was after the mess dinner and the
reglmental band had bagged their in
struments and gone silently away into
the hot sitting night. Half dozen
officers were reclining In ''long-sleeved
chairs" their feet up on the arms and
"pegs," with plenty Of ice, standing in
long glasses like grim sentries, to keep
the demon thirst away.
swell, know exactly how It feels"
Clipped in Bings-Bings, "thc stoic,'
as he was called-with an earnestness
that fairly took away Gordon's breath.
"Yes," added the new speaker, VI
have been there as they say, but Ian.
guage cannot convey the full horror OF
the feeling. 1t was years ago, when !
first came out to join, and we were
stationed in Burinah. was on special
duty out in the Jungle and where we
were located was the snakes paradise.
Hardly a day passed that we did not
kill one or more either in or about the
bungalow. 1t was continual cry of
'Samp hal, sahib Ia snake, sir, with a
regular clearing out of all the servants.
ut really seemed that all the poison
GUS snakes in India had agents do
ing business In that part. Immense
boas, sleepy, dcvilish karaites, vicious
asps and adders and now and then a
cobra, chock full Of fight No man
thought Of putting on his boots with
ont giving them n good shake first, and
even clothes were inspected at urm's
length.
II received q rare shock one day-a
sort OF preliminary canter to the cobra
episode am about to relate. ! had
Just finished my bath and was pulling
my bantam over my head when huge
centipede lost his hold inside of it and
rolled down my back. ughl it made
my flesh creep to look at the loath-
some, poisonous thing.
another time | found castof
skin OF some poisonous snake on the
edge OF my bed just outside OF the
monjeric mosquito curtain), that had
been probably slipped off while | slept.
"You will understand that fresh out
from home, as was, all this sort OF
thing crept into my dreams; sleeping
meant one long, continuous night
mare. The bungalow was the usual
style Of things in Burmah, bamboo
and leaves. 1t was raised some seven
or eight feet from the ground on posts;
but this only seemed to tempt some
unwelcome guests to climb up and nest
In the leaves Of the matched roof.
During the dry weather they lived in
the ground In holes which mistaken
sort Of providence provided for them,
and when the big rains set in they were
drowned out and came to the bunga-
low as nice dry place to live in.
zone hot, sweltering night l was
laying in state halt asleep and hall
heat stupor, when suddenly became
aware that dark, fiat object, in which
CLEANED two spots Of malignant light
was moving up along my right leg
Just between 1t and the moujerie.
could Just see 1t over my limb and thu
blood in my veins simply froze witt
horror as I realized that it must b.
either cobra or karaite. The bod,
Of the serpent was evidently In TIN
bed and the head elevated just enougl
TO watch my face. Aqueer constrictiv'
, sort Of feeling shot up and down m.
| scalp and the hair stood out straight
! am sure.
"There are no words in which cal
convey the slightest idea Of the full
measure Of loathsome horror whicl
took possession Of me and turned m
sick with the intensity Of Its dreadful
ness when recognized that Twas shu
up In that curtain with, and complete
: " at the mercy Of one OF those dealt
. dealing fends dared not move
muscle--to call out meant death, TO
were he aroused, either by fear or al
ger, no would deal out death to tn
nearest living object with the rapidit
Of lightning. Myhand was lying dow
beside my thigh and already ] coul
feel his cold Shiny body moving owe
, II. II my blood was frozen before, TIL
l chilled the very marrow in my boLe
| | could see very little, by the light {
| the pickering lamp which hung In Vi
J veranda opposite my door, beyond thu
fiat, swaying head, set like fend
: toy with those devilish flaming eyes
II felt that could not stand itmuc
longer. l should become a ravin
maniac II something did not happe
soon. almost wished that he wcu
strike and end the dreadful suspens
knew that he would not voluntari
leave the bed all night, and won
most probably coil himself up on II
chest and remain there. One year, "
years, ten years, / lay thus, with Il
brute drawing his interminable leng
over my hands--yes, ten years. I
next day was ten years older and .
hair, which was black when went
bed, was us gray as 1t Is now.
] "1'hen must have moved my hal
! for the fend struck-wi!hout warm
and with such devilish rapidity tina
. saw nothing, only felt the sharp, Ian
!. like thrust In my thigh. With a n
! my blood. which had been stand
still in my veins, think went tear
= through nv body again, and Def