The Forrest City times., 1895-06-07

same of Jordan, some years since. Nv
father was fiddler, and if he is play
ing the harp half as well as he played
the fiddle, he isn't taking back seat
for anybody on the other shore, and
I'll bet on it! And how he could tell
about snakes! It's a shame the way I've
forgot most of the things he used to
tell me about 'em, but remember one
that may strike you as tolerable fair
showing as to what Sinnemahone
snakes were able to do in the days of
my father. Sinnemahone snakes are at
the head of the serpent race yet, of
course, but in those days they had the
benefit of my father, and they simply
shone.
''The blowing adder was always a
big favorite with my father. The blow
ing adder, you know, is that interest
ing snake that has the faculty of fiat
tening out its head to about four times
its natural size, then putting it up, and
then blowing a small gale from it's
mouth for few seconds. l never knew
just what they gained by doing all
this, but they do it, and that's enough.
father liked, but somehow they never
liked him, but they feared him, and
when he wanted to use 'em they
knuckled right down and were used
'Once my father had pet blowing
adder and blacksnake that he wanted
to be pet. but which had feeling
against being one, and just wouldn't
1t didn't dare to rebel altogether,
though, and learned the tricks nv
father taught it, and did them, but
kicked like steer all the time. The
blowing adder, on the other hand, was
fonder of the old man than cat of
her kittens, and never lost chance to
show it. One of the tricks my father
taught the rebellious blacksnake was
to take a match in it's mouth, reach
back and scratch the match on its scalv
side, and then rise up on it's tail and
light fathers pipe as he held it in his
mouth. 1t was neat trick, and used
to please father next to knowing that
the little jug with the corncob stopper
in it wasn't empty.
Whenever father went to his cabin
in the woods for hunt he always took
Jehosaphat and Prudence with him for
company. Jehosaphat was the black
snake and Prudence was the blowing
adder. Once, while out on one of these
trips, father was taken sick with rheu-
matism in his cabin, and lay on his
bed of straw, unable to move hand or
foot. Jehosaphat cheered up and
got clipper at once. He tumbled all
over himself, father used to say, he
felt so good. And he felt more than
that. He had murder in his heart.
While father lay there helpless the
wicked snake took match in his
mouth, glared like fiend in fathers
face for moment, struck the match
on his side, just the way the old man
had taught him, and then deliberately
lay helpless. With one more fiendish
glare at my father Jehosaphat fled
from the cabin.
Imagine my fathers feelings lying
there unable to move, and that fire
creeping slowly toward him! He saw
no escape from horrible death. But
he didn't know Prudence, the blowing
adder. That loving snake woke from
a nap in her corner, and soon saw the
awful danger my father was in. She
dashed over to the burning straw, fiat
tened out her head, and with one tfe-
mendous puff blew out the blaze"
''Sinnemahonew exclaimed the man
in the red, blue, pink, yellow. green
and purple mackinaw jacket, ''let me
tell ye sumpin'! That blowin' adder
mowt a blowed out that blaze, but
there amt no blowin' adder, nor sweep
in gale, nor howlin' cyclone that kin
ever blow out the blaze you'll git into
one o. these days, an when ye git there,
jist remember that l told We so"-N.
Y. Sun.