The Forrest City times., 1896-04-24

| dress and scarlet parasol standing out | against the deep blue of the sea, and be- hind her the large baskets of flowers and fruits.
 They were both engrossed in their | posts; she, reading her first letters from home since her trip, he, looking over the latest town news and reading eagerly all that had happened in his beloved London during the three weeks he had been away. Sometimes he looked up with smile, and read her out a bit of news, and asked how her moth- CT was, and the boys, and at last, finish ing off his tea with a sigh of satisfac- ton, he handed her his cup to refill.
 How perfectly delightful it is hereI" he said, looking round on the beautiful scene, and then letting his eyes rest lovingly on his wife; and think you look charming pouring out tea," he added, with laugh.
 Fancy paying your wife compli- ments after having been married a month!" she smiled; you are not keep ing up your role of old married man."
 Il cant do that at the expense of truth" he answered.; "and you know l always had to say out what thought. But you have tiny frown, sweetheart; i; whats the matter? no bad news. I hope?" he said, quickly.
 "Oh, no," she returned. "This is a letter from Olga, and she always rubs me up the wrong way, somehow. She says: presume you are having per feet time; now tell me what is the crumpled roseleaf in all this happi ness ?-for one there must be!' And thought for a moment, if ever one should come, if it could go on like this always without changing. It seems too good to be true," she added, in low tone; "but there is absolutely not even crumpled roseleaf so far"
 "No, dear" he said, quietly, bending down and kissing her hands; there is no serpent in our Eden!"
 It was only afterwards he remem- bered the bitter irony of fate that prompted those words, and they were soon absorbed again in their letters and themselves. The men were down stairs in the cabin, and no one noticed the tiny black adder which had crcpt | from the basket of flowers, and now lay summing himself on the deck just be- hind Molly's chair. The warmth of the sun made him quite lively, and he began creeping about, and gradually disappeared under the chair.
 Suddenly she sat up with a sharp cry "Oh! Harry, something has hurt my foot," she said; and. looking down, there lay across her instep the little snake, it's head firmly fixed into the silk stocking. With muffled exclama- tion of horror Harry tore it off, and flung it into the sea; the pretty white foot lay bare, and seen through the rent in the stocking were three tiny red punctures. Mr. Astley rushed down the cabin steps in d mad hurry. Williams, Williams" he called; you must go on shore at once, at once-do you hear? Mrs. Astley has been stung by snake, go and bring doctor as | quickly as ever you can." Coming back, he took up the huge basket of flowers, and pitched them overheard; :; then, taking poor Molly in his arms, he carried her to her cabin, when her maid bathed :Ee poor little foot. It was swelling already, but there was no pain.
 "Tll sit on the deck till the doctor comes, Harry she laughed. Please don't worry, don't believe it was any, thing but common adder"
 But when the boat brought the doc tor, in about an hour, he looked very grave.
 Il cannot say anything for some time yet" he said, after examining the sting. ''I don't like the entire absence of pain. Can you not describe to me what the snake or adder looked like ?''
 But poor Harry had flung it away without looking, and was in such a state that he could absolutely remem- Der nothing. Gradually poor Molly | got worse, the swelling increased. and a terrible numbness, which crept slowly right over the body, set in. The doctor stayed on, but more for the sake of MT. Astley, who was beside himself with grief, than for Molly, who lay quite still and quiet in kind of stupor from which nothing could rouse her. About six in the evening she awoke, and faintly asked for her husband. Dear love-" she said, putting her arms round his neck, "try not to take it too hardly, if r." but Harry left her and rushed on deck.
 Good God, Wilson," he cried, to the doctor, cant you do anything? Let's have some cue else, let's" his eye fell on the native who had brought over the flowers in the morning, standing 1 talking to Williams, and, i'll his frenzy. he turned on him.
 You black scoundrel,' he said, going up to him, do you know your careless