River Falls journal. [volume] (River Falls, Pierce County, Wis.) 1872-2019, 1896-11-05
THE BEST SNAKE STORY,


The beauty Of the best snake story il
the world is that there was really nG
snake in il, which is more than can bS
said even Of the Garden of Eden.
1t had been very hot that summer on
the ranch Men work in the fields oil
California with the thermometer at ll'
degrees, while they fall down of hea'
apOplexy in the streets of New NOrl
and Chicago at 80 degrees That is tbs
maxim they preach TO the stranger II
the west, and il has truth in il; but 1t i
a mistake to suppose that even in Cali
fornia men work in the fields IN com
fort i'm such a temperature; and tina
summer the thermometer had gous
very near lis degrees. So we wer'
grateful enough TO get away into tbs
hills for a spell, with wagon and {
tent and the usual outfit of pots anC
pans, three of US, white men, witt
Louie, the Mexican (whOm we called il
the yernacular the Greaser), to minC
the horses and make himself generally
useful. Our programme was to fish tn,
rivers. shoot deer. and possibly griz
ely bear, discover a gold mine and g
back 10 the ranch with a prospective
fortune.
We had just pit,hed orr tent. Dow
on the plain for VEGAS Lefore we ha'
been sleeping out on cur ~eranda, bu
the air OF the hills had nip in 4 by con
trast. Ii was late in The afternoon, bu
there was still plenty OF sunshine. / fol
lowed LoJie round q shoulder of tn,
hill, going to fetch water at a littl
stream tumbling from sOmewher,
among the snowy peaks that capped the
zone of frs on the great mountain
above Us. These mountains had, o
some time or other. sent down a littl
avalanche of small rocks, that la,
heaped on our left as we walked. Tn
scene was the most peaceful imagin
able.
I'm an instant a ccession of small
incidents sent the peace TO limbo
Louie dropped his pannikin with tink
ling clatter. crying: -Sancta Maria.'
in a voice of terror. AT the same mo
ment | heard the dread rattle of
snake. and saw it's length CLEAN unde
Louie's feet and vanish among tn
rocks.
"Sancta Maria," he tOttered bacl
into my arms. his dark face livid witt
fear.
What is it. Louie? Did the snak
strike you?"
I'm the foot" he said; ''yes."
'Let US get back to camp. Quick
lean on me"
What's the good. boss?" he asked
I'm dead man." Nevertheless h
came with me, leaning on my shoulder
and making lame walk il.
Down in the plain we had no rattle
snakes. For miles about the ranch Their
were no rocks for them. and though
there were plenty of ground-squirre
holes we never saw snakes about them
The thought % such things did no
enter our heads. and Louie. weary of hi
boots, had kicked them off, with tn
long spurs. and come with me in hi
stocking feet ON his quest for water
\ word explained to the boys wha
had happened.
'Strychnine's the best" said Joel
Peters. who was our authority on tn
question of snake bites, which he ha,
studiSd in Australia; but we haven
got III; so we must do what we can witt
this. But its poor chance" he adde
in a whisper. as, to save time, b.
knocked the neck of n bottle of brandy
Drink il, Louie he said; never min,
cutting your lip; get it down-that'
the chief thing"
The MeNican's teeth chartered as w,
forced the neck of the bottle. but h.
drank a great gulp without winking
The liquor. OF pickle, either. TO scorcl
the throat Of Mexican has yet to b.
found.
linn Kelly, the Irishman. was sad
ding the freshest of our horses, to rid
AT best speed into Lindsay. II mile
away in the haze of the plains. for tn
doctor. In a minute he was pOundin.
away along the hills. Fix up Ugh
as high a YOU can put il if it's dark be
fore we get back" he shouted as h.
went
We pulled the sock of the Mexican'
foot. Already. it was swelling fast
with a purplisk tinge round tiny blu
spot, from which the smallest imagin
able drop of blood had welled.
Any good cauteriziug it?" l sug
gested.
Not mag" Jock said. shortly
Go on with the brandy and keep min
moving: that's his only chance
The MeNican's face was dreadful {,
see: he called. in his terror, on ever,
saint in the church; but he declared h,
suffered no pain. Jock, improving tn
occasion. began relating IN a low voie
TO me anecdotes Of all the snake bite
he had known. Zone boy I've seen tina
did recover" be said. 'and that wa
from the bite Of brcwn snake. and
brown snakes as bad. they say. as
rattler-an Australian brown snake
that is: a RATHER can't be worse. Blu
this boy was stupid all his life after
not as quiek-witted as the average
which is not much to say. And a
times. just at the time Of year at which
he'd been bitten. the wound got re,
again and swelled, and he was stupide
than ever. Louie had on a sock; IN,
rattler'd have had 10 go through that
he might have spent bit OF his poison
there; that gives Louie a sort of
chance. Does it hurt YOU now. Louie =?
No, boss; no. not hurt"
The swelling was spreading; goins
up the ankle and right up the leg. an,
the man began to talk slowly and pain
fully.
Il remember" said Jock. "goin,
along a sldge OF a terrace on steer
river bank. The river was FUN o
sharks. and l met a brown snake com
ing along the ridge toward me. Their
wasn't room 20 turn. and couldn't tax,
10 the river. for the sharks. and hadn'
4 gun But my pal coming behind has
a gun, and he pOked the barrel in be
tween my legs and blew the brute {.
bits"
eIs that TIRE. jock ?" asked.
my hskFcas, a'yau lhink I'd ever u
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