The sun., 1896-09-13
BEST SNAKE STORY IN THE WORLD.
How Louie the Grenser Was Bitten and
How His Life Was Saved.

From MdcmiHans Magazine.
Tho beauty Of the best snake story in the
world is that there was really no snake in 1t.
which is moro than can be said even OF the
Garden of Eden.
II had been very hot that summer on the
ranch. Men work in the fields in California
with the Thermometer at 11oo, while they fall
down Of heat apoplexy in the streets Of Now
York and Chicago at 90. That is the maxim
they preach to the stranger in the West, and
It has truth in e: but It 10 a mistake to sup
pose that even in California men work in
the fields in comfort in such a temperature, and
that summer the thermometer had gone very
near 1l50 So we were grateful enough TO
get away into the hills for spell, with
wagon and tent, and the usual outfit Of
pots and pans, three Of us, white men. with
Louie, the Mexican. whom we called In tho
vernacular the Greaser. TO mind the horses
and make himself generally useful. Our
programme was TO fish the rivers. shoot deer
and possibly a grizzly bear discover a gold
pective fortune.
We had just pitched our tent, Down on the
oIt on our verandas, but the air Of the hills
had nip In it by contrast. 1t was late In the
afternoon, hut ut, there was still plenty of
of the hill. going to fetch water at a little
stream tumblinG from somewhere among
the snowy peaks that capped the zone OF frs
the great mountains above us. These
mountains had, at some time or other. cent
lay heaped on our left as we walled. The
scene was the most peaceful IMAGINABLE
sent tn the % peace to limbo. Louie % dropped leh his
"sancta Maria, in voice Of terror. Al the
same moment Il heard the dread rattle of
snake. and saw its length CLEAN under Louiss
feet and vanish NJ l.. among m ne the rocks rocks
back into my arms his dark face livid with fear.
What is it. Louie? Did the snake strike
an the foot" he said. yes"
Let us get back to camp. Quick. lean on
Whats the, good boss" he asked. I'm
a dead man" Nevertheless he came with
me. leaning on my shoulder and making a
Down in the plain wc had no rattlesnakes.
For miles about the ranch there were no rocks
serS saw psesns snakes
about them. The thought of such things
did not epter , on M head. and Louis; *eaTy OF
spurs. and come with me in his stocking feet
on this quest for water.
A word explained TO the boys what had hap
"ssrychnine's the best" said Jock Peters;
snake bites, which he had studied in Aus.
what we can with, this. But it's poor
time. he knocked the neck off a bottle OF
brandy. Drink it. Louie" he said. Never
mind cutting your lip. Get 1t down. that's
Tho Mexicans teeth chattered as we forced
great guip Without winRinc.' The liquor. or
pickle either. 10 scorch the throat OF a Mexi-
can has yet to he found.
freshest OF our horses TO ride at best speed TO
Lindsay. eleven miles away in the haze of
pounding away among the hills. Fix. up
light as high as you can pnt y, II It's dark
We pulled the sock or the Mexican's foot
Already 1t was swelln fast. with purplish
tinge round tiny blue blue SPOT % fro from Nv which the
Aot s'1a mas. s'sed.f said JOCK K shory !ta; Go on
VII With the brandy brandy and keep him moving. That's
The Mexican's face was dreadful to see
Church but he declared he suffered no n pan .inU
Jock, improving the occasion, began relating
in = 10y aoioe TO me anecdotes of all the
was was from from the bite OF a brown I snake, and % a
an Australian brown snake, that is; a ratticr
can't be worse. But this boy was stupid all
es 0 Weh is not no, Ss To H' hS NJ
times, just at the time OF year NJ which he'd
been bitten, the wound. got red again and
had on sock; the rattler'd have had TO 20
through that; he might have spent bit OF his
chance Does 1t hurt you row, Louie2"
NO, boss. no, not hurt"
.nEs Tho e % was tSs 9nE up the
to 1na iS"' sand and Scef going along
ridge OF n terrace on n steep river bank. The
river was full OF sharks, ard l met brown
snake coming along the ridge toward me
There wasn't, room to turn, and couldn't
take To the river for the sharks. and I hadn't
a gun: But my pal coming behind had a
legs and blew the ,brut... TO bits
rs that true. jock" l asked.
My heaven. d,you think I'D lie at such
time as ,hist" with, a glance at Louie's face.
Are you getting sleepy. ..manf" he said. Then,
as Louie did not answer, he TOOK him under
the arm, and signalling me to do the same
on the other side, we kept him moving be-
tween us up and down and round the tent.
brandy. He had taken halt. bottle, but 1t
seemed to have no effect on him.
1t stimulates the beart's action. you
know" Jock explained, lust as the poison
goes to stop IL; but strychnine's the lest actr
az nerve tonic, IT'S a, deal to- do With the
nerves, this snake. bite business"
We, heard the little. ground owls begin
whistling TO each other from the mouths OF the
squirrel holes away down in tn" plain. and
the bats and moths began 10 come out as the
sun sank out OF sight They brushed our faces
as we continued to march the Mexican to and