The people's journal. (Pickens, S.C.) 1891-1903, 1899-08-03
A SNAKE WORTH HAVING.
A Sed-Beardcd Youth from Kansas
Who Had Never Told o Lie.

WIN bhu NOSOC AOlO u 1uO.
Augusta (Ga.) Chronicle.
AS is customary with printers, The
Chronicle force, after work hours,
were having their goodnight chat,
and at this time the discourse was
ject OF snakes" Several tall yarns
were reeled of like spun cotton. A
stranger from the far west who was
paying the force d visit WAS q careful
listener, but he did not seem to know
much about snakes. He spoke never
o word for fully three.quarters OF an
hour.
The stranger was q subject for sculpt-
Ing. He wore d red heard that closely
resembled a torch, his two big toes
pointed and leaned toward each other
In In the most loving manner possible, and
he cheWed tobacco like he WAS doing 1t
at 80 much a day. When he spit he
would shut one eye.
at last 1t became evident that he
was loaded with yarn 1t was bulging
In him until his eyes stuck out. Then
he spoke: Gentlemen, Pm but a
pilgrim and q stranger amongst YOU
Georgia folks, and don't want to say
nothing rash. My mother put her
hand on my head when l was the turn
@ four years old and | promised her
"a never tell lie, nor have | SO far
yet, nor never will. I'd rather die.
Therefore what tell you is tho truth,
SO help mo-"
" Go on, 60 on" shouted the boys as
they gathered around him like flies
around u lump Of cheap sugar. "Well,"
he continued, "when | was livin' In
williamsburg, Kansas, In '73, q cheap
John show busted in my town, and
sold out Its goods and chattels. |
bought snake II feet long and the
rise. | never had no idea OF startin' q
show nor snake ranch, but lowed
that this snake would eat up all the
rest on my farm. We kept him about
the house until he became pet with
the old woman and all the children
they are all dead now--and | hope to
meet them in heaven. The dogs and
cats never pestored the snake, thew
appeared to know he was loaded for
business, and whenever my snake
crawled Into the yard to sun himself
my Old Tom cat used to skin up q 70
loot sycarOre tree that stood In tho
yard and sing song-a sort OF solo
TO himself that WAS enough to fetch
out the fire companies. The cat argyed
that the snake had designs on his per
son, and that his intention was not
honorable; but | don't know II thew
were or not.
One day that snake swallowed
my eight day clock. missed the
clock, and when found the snake he
couldn't look mo straight In the eye,
but evory now and then he would wink
at me, much rs to say, What time
you reckea it is?' knowed he swal-
lowed the clock cause I could hear it
tickin' inside OF him. Me and the old
oman held council OF war, and we
decided that 1t would never do to kill q
irty-dollar snake to get four dollar
clock, 80 the snake just went on living
with us like nOthin' had ever hap
pened to unhing his character amongst
us.
had almost forgot my clock when
one day In the spring followin' was
diggin' In sand bank back OF my lot
and found some aigs-not hen aigs, but
aigs about as big as goose aigs. There
was forty. eight on ON, an breakin' en-
one by one. what do you think ?"
Snakes 7" sang ont q chorus OF
voices.
as l told you before, gentlemen,
would not tell a lie for all this round
earth, and [ beg that you'll all believe
me when | tell you that In each and
everyone Of them forty-eight aigs |
found az pretty an opon-faced silver
watch as any man In this crowd would
wish to carry. | knowed in q minute
that had found my snakes nest, and
right then | knOwcd | had Klondike
In tn st snake. [ called him out two
days later and made him swallow forty
pounds OF two-inch augers, apd hope
| may die If he didn't lay cork screws
enough the next spring to start harO-
ware store"
Gentlemen, don't you believe me ?"
But the boys had all made streak
for tho 6tair-caso before ne had finished
the last sentence. They found that
they had run against one who had boat
tho champion Georgia snake liar.