Shenandoah herald. [volume] (Woodstock, Va.) 1865-1974, 1897-01-08
A TRUE SNAKE STORY.

The beauty of the Test snake
story in tie world is that there
vas really no snake in 1t, which
Is more than can be said even of
the Garden of Z len.
1t had been very hot that sum
mer on the ranch. Men work IN
he fel Is Of California with the
thermometer At ITO degrees while
the, fail down of heat apOplexy in
he streets OF New York aud
Chicago at 81 degrees. That is
the maxim they preach 10 the
stranger in the west, and it has
trdth ~ II; but it is a suppose
thai even IN California men work
In the fields in co ufOIt in snch a
temperA ure; aud that sumner
the thermometer had gODe very
near ll5 degrees. So We we're
grateful enough to GET away into
the hills for a spell, with a wagon
aid tent and the usual GA TIT OF
pots aud paus, three of US, white
men, with Louise, the M"xlcan
fwhom We called, in the vernacular
tue GreaSer,) to mini the horses
and make himself generally useful.
Oar programme WAS TO fish the
rivers, shoot deer, aud possibly a
grizzly bear, discover a gold niue,
and 90 back 70 the ranch with a
prospective fortune.
We had Just pitched our tent.
Down on the plain for weeks be-
'Ore We had been sleeping on tho
verandas, but the air of the hills
had a nip in it by contrast. 1t
was late in the afternoon, but
there was still plenty of sunshine.
| followed Louie round a shoulder
of the bill, going to fetch water at
little distance from a stream
tumbing from somewhere among
the snowy peaks that capped the
zone of frs on the great mountains
above us. These mountains had,
at some time or other, sent down
little avalanche of small rocks
that lay heaped on our lett as we
walked. The scene was the most
peaceful imaginable.
In an instant a succession oil
small incidents sent the peace to
limbo. Louie dropped his dannikin
with a tinklIng ciatter, crying
.SAncta Mariar iu a voice of terror
AZ the same tine | heard the
dread rattle Of snake, aud saw it'
leugth CLEAN under LOuie's fee
and vanish among the rocks.
Sancta Marlsp he tOttered back
INTO my arms, bis dark face llvid
tear.
What is it, Louiei Did the snake
strike your
In the foot be said. 'Yes.'
Let Us get back to camp. q lick
lean on me-
What's the good, bossp he
asked. pm dead man. Nevtrthe
less he came with ne, leaning oil
my shoulder, and making a lame
walk of it.
Down in the plain we had nj
rattle.snakes. For miles abOu
the ranch there were no rock
for them aud though there wer
plenty OF squirrel holes we neve
saw snakes about them. Th
thought of such things did not en-
ter our heads, and Louie, weay o
his boots, had kicked them of
with tie long spnrs, aud came wit
me 10 his stocking teet on his ques
r tor water.
d A word explained to the boy
what had happened.
= 'Strycbnine's the BEST said Joe
Peters, who was our authority 9
the question of snake. bites, wbic
II he had studied 10 Australia; 'bu
} we haven't got IT; so We must d
10 " hat we can tor him with this; bu
it's poor chance he added IN
whisper, as, to save time, !
knocked the neck off bottle :
brandy. Drink it, Louie,' he sal
!, 'neyer mind cutting your lips; q
it down; that's the chief thing.'
The Mexican's teeth chattert
as we forced in the neck Of Il
d bottle. but he drank a great gu
without winklng. The liquor,