The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-12-03
A LESSON In TEMPERANCE.
SMITH FINDS A Usk FOR sTUFFED
RITTLESNIKE.

Tried II with Much Success Upon .
Friend who Came From the West
Thirsty and Remained so-Things TO Elk
plain to Mrs. smith After 1t was Over.
Ono Of bis friends recently sent 70 Smith Of
Brooklyn q nne specimen Of the diamond. back
rattlesnaka hwas dead ra,,c' make. though
II didn't look IL In fact was only the skin Of tho
reptile with the head attached, but all the dab
oltm Of tho live creature was expressed In tho
thick, Fat head with two gitterine black pnbeads
doing duty for the eyoa II was really very
nno akin. and Smith though, with pleasure how
well Il would look on the wall Of bis study. but
upon taking II home be found that bis household
regarded Il with mingled emotiona When no
appeared with II In bis hands Mira Smith ramped
around tho room as II II were mouse that Was
confronting her and threatened alternately hys-
tercs and q return TO the homo Of her ancestors
Bridget, tho maid. who had come upstairs on
the run upon bearing the excitement, retired
via the front door the middle Of the street. whers
sho informed an interested public that Mr. Smith
had come home TO dinner and brought tho devil
with him: while the family cat, after one casual
glance at the deceased reptile Skinned up the back
yard grape arbor In a perfect abandonment
horror and spit till her whiskcrs wbistlcd.
This snakes all right In It's way" said Smith
but I'D ratbc have my happy bone. and II don't
look az II the two were compatible I'll give IL
house room for day or two and then present
| II 10 some bachelor apartments-
With some difficulty and after repeated assur~
ances that the object Of her tcrrors was quite
! dead. Smith persuaded Bridget 10 return 10 the
| house and her duties Mrs Smith was some
what rcconclcd by learning that al any time tho
serpent could be turned into handsome belt
for berseli. II abe desired. and consented to
try IL first a wall ornamen, for a tmo The
| In epp, ha kt,ff hal, IpI,t nm
the back fence and told all the other cats about
! II until the ncighborhood quellcd their comments
and INTERSECTIONS with handy bric.a brac
Upon arriving al bis Office the next morning
Smith found note from his friend Blk by setting
forth sad case to wit, himself. Bi,by had ro-
! Gently returned from the arid South whence he
bad brought a large fund OF information regard.
ing the noxious insect and rertil.an life Of the
reginn a reputation for a leaning toward revolver
, practice, and an Astounding thirst which all the
strong waters In New York couldn't quench-
! he hadn't tried the other kind Bixby wrote
|. DEAR SMITH I've been going II for the last
week or year or something. Ben trying TO put
! the Raines law out Of business by drinking all
the booDe before Sunday. I'm pretty much on
the aboriginal bum in consequence. They
. haven got me yet but saw one OF en- last night
! IL had long, pink, wriggly ears and thought IL
! was an eel till I saw the hoofs on Il. It's been
( lowering around all this morning and I've been
/ trying to chase Il with ammonia cocktails for |
! know II II ever gets near enough 10 say Tag,
/ I'm IL II you've got room In your place for head
! Ike barrel wish you'd take me 70 Brook
| Ign tonight | need change Of dir Oh, my
boy; ivo been on q toot that would make tho
Angel Gabriels trumpet feel like busted penny
| whistle I II he al your once at 8. with or
| without assistance as tho may be. You're
! hurredly. BixBy"
Al TIE appointed hour Bxhy arrived in cab
| and when he him Smith sent word home
! TO Mrs Smith that she had better invent and &C
! crpt an invitation TO dine and spend the night at
! her aunta Not that DNby was intoxicated
! He was sober and sorry for IT, After dinner
/ Smith Judged. there might be trouble. Jpon
their arrival he explained Mrs Smith ahs-nce
and BiSby suggested cocktails as q starter be-
fore dinner His friend persuaded him TO tackle
the bathtub INSTEAD as brac.r. and after a cold
bath and some fresh clothes Bixby said he thought
he could cat something, with a little help. All
the help tina, Smith allowed him was one long
whiskry and s-ltzrr. whcreupon Bixby looked
unuttcratle rproach a, the dispenser Of sparse
hospitality bu, was too polite to protest AZ
ter dinner BNby nervous Smith sug.
gested club. They went One game Of billiards
Their showed up Bi1by condition in it's true light
He tore two holes in the cloth and nearly put out
the marker eye in trying to score three on the
play. Then he demanded drink not loudly but
so fervcntly that his host knew there was nothing
else for IL. An hour PASSED and Bixby was feel.
Ing better at least he said he was Smith got him
70 start home and suggested dropp ny In TO see
doctor on the way Bxby snorted at the men
ton Of doctor. lie didn want 10 sre any doc
TOR; what he wanted 10 was bartender. Oh
he " mt in search Of one and Smith had 10 follow
by tho time they got home Smith was mad and
Z gtIea raa apt ham k,ttl .h, ND . 49,,
happiness was strain Of anxiety evinccd by sun
, dry furtivc glances which he cast around him.
and in the front hail he embraced tho stairpost
with tears connding TO IL that IL was his only sal
walton against hungry horde Of gigantic germs
, which were, even then, canped upon his trail
by urgent insistence Smith made him drink large
quantities Of water and presently put him TO ted
secure that nothing worse Than a very had head
/ would be tho result Of that evening Indulgence
/ But he saw. too. that il was only question OF
short time before his friend would 60 70 pieces
II stop wercn put TO his course. and he sat down
and meditated deeply upon the subject. Sudden
ly his recently acquired rattesnakc projected
its wicked head and shining eyes int his thoughts
! and he slapped his thigh as does a man when
he hits upon happy though, or mosquito
by thunder III do IT," he cried. "l,'n scare
| ,cven kinds Of moonlight, sunlight, and star
light out Of him. bu, i'll serve him right and
! Even then Bixby was snoring with that thick
sticky snore that means dead 10 the world" Ia
the room adjoining Smiths and connected with
It through double wash room. Above the head
OF tho sleeper were two puileys fastened I tho
a mosquito net To rig up a tackle Of Gne but
strong thread on these pulleys took Smith less
/ than Eve minutes, and he worked with perfect
security that nothing could awake his guest
who didn't so much as stir or groan when Stoth
stepped on his chest few minutes work with
. the ratlesnake and a needle followed. and then
the reptile fastened head and tail rose and scared
above tho bed Of the sleeper. Smith tho thread
| into the wnshroom made the snake fast TO tho
ceiling and went 10 bed owing that he would
| wake up before his guest 7 he last thing he
! heard that night was the snoring OF Dixby II was
still going on, though in higher key when no
awoke in the morning.
All the probabilities toworo that the guest would
sleep heavily for m hour moro at least; 30 Smith
| Ind breakfast alone and leisurely aud thon went
upstairs with q large pitcher Of Ice and siphon
| Of seltzer TO call Bixby. II was something OF a
| Job 10 arouse that gentleman, but he finally re-
| sponded 10 Smiths knocks In a drawing snnrl
4 would take him some time, Smith knew 70 get
Z tackle and waited. To his great disa ppointment