Omaha daily bee., 1897-02-22
HOT RACE WITH A nLAcKsNAI1E
An Oregoniun's ~Sprintiug Match with
u SuppOscd NnttIer.

An Oregoniun's S]printiug Match with
II Supposed Rather.
One day during the summer several ma
tives. as well as a few "boardin' men" were
amusing themselves by telling tall stories
in the postoffice at Smokers Gap, relates
the Portland Telegram. While so engaged
old man Nubbins dropped in, chewing to-
bacco like a threshing machine, as usual.
He listened a while, and finally, after copious
expectations, asked:
Ever hear about Busby's race with a
blacksnake?"
Now old Nubbins had a local reputa-
ton as a yarnspinner to be upheld, and,
although the story was familiar enough
to some, there was a chorus of mo; tell
us about it."
The patriarch chuckled at the reminis-
cence and went on: 'Busby lived bout
five miles up the pike, and a good bit of
his land was along the foot of the noun
tain, He used to pasture his horses in a
field right along there, which was sepa-
rated from his house by two other fields,
though he always druv the animals along
the pike to get 'em in and out of the pas
turage. Well, sir, he was the 'feardest
man of a snake l ever hear of. Seems
that he had a bad scare from one when
he was a boy, and he never could get over
his feelin! of horror at the sight of EN-
An he always KEEP out of their way-when
ne COulu, dtlu II Olu HAL WYNN an
laugh he couldn't keep down.
What happened to him, Mr.. Nubbins?'
asked the duke, much interested.
After recourse to the spittoon, the mar
rator continued: "One Sunday evenin'
after supper he went over to the field to
git one of the team, as he was goin' to
the meetin' some miles up further. The
sun had got behind the Blue Ridge, and 1t
was a sort of twilight where the horse was.
After chasin' him about a bit Busby was
goin' to round him up, when he heard a
rustic behind him. He Civ a quick glance
back, and there was a big blacksnake a
rearin' up and almost on him. Well, sir,
Busby let out a yell that most scared the
old nag to death, and took out across the
field like a quarter horse.
cover the fence he fairly flew, and, as
he made the jump, he saw out the corner
of his eye that turrible snake right behint
him. Gentlemen, Busby wasn't a young
man, but he burnt the wind, | tell you
He tux the second fence with only one hant
touchin', and he went across this held ONLY
hitt!n' the high places, and every time NJ
cut a quick glance behind him, there was
Mr.. Snake right with him.
'Busby was praying as he made the las
fence, and when he went over 1t he struck thu
, groun' a-runnin', but the snake was still
with him. BCsby was beginnin' to give out
and he thought if he could only reach the
porch the pesky thing would leave him, bu'
he stumbled and fell, and the last thing ht
see before hittin' the groun' was that bis
~blacksnake, and he felt it fall across him
as big as a fence rail it seemed to him
Busby closed his eyes, broke out in a colo
sweat, and held his breath, waiting for the
bite, but as he felt none, he cautiously
opened his eyes and looked at the snake
Then he set up quick and began to beat a,
it like as if his arms were fails, all the time
a-cussin' most shameful"
Old Nubbins couldn't go on for laughing
or maybe he was slyly holding the denoue-
ment Just out of reach, in order to arouse
his listeners to a fever heat. 1t did the last
anyway, and the dude asked eagerly:
Did he kill the snake, Mr.. Nubbins?"
Nav chuckled the raconteur, "he called
bis boy to bring out the gun and shoot his
fool head off, cause he had all the time bin
runnin' away from the bride hangin' on
his shoulder"