The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1901-08-16

Of the early morning, she felt
a sharp. fiery sting in her arm, and
looking down, saw a snake glide away
among the logs. 1t had passed the
night in the wood-heap. and angry at
being disturbed. had stung her. She
flung down her armful OF logs and
rushed into the house. A sharp butcher
knife lay on the table; this she seized
and cut the wound. then sucked the
blood. But she had little hope. for the
bite was from the fangs of venom
Gus snake, and she had received the
full force of the poison.
Already she seemed TO feel the first
symptoms Of coming death in the
deadly lethargy which crept through
her limbs. The thought Of her babies,
now lying asleep in the adjoining
room, further agonized her. for
mental picture rose before her of her
darlings starving slowly 10 death. And
how sad would be their fathers home
coming! How terrible TO find the wife
and children he had left alive and well
lifeless corpses!
ucu nOlucT-lONt tIltu oul iOl
time. only little time. in order that
she might provide for them. Her hus-
band had been away shearing for six
weeks. de would be back In fort
night, and she must prepare enough
food to keep them for that time. 1t
would be of no use to try to take the
children to the nearest neighbor. fifty
miles distant; she would die on the
way, and leave the helpless little ones
in the cart. The old horse might know
enough to take them TO their destina-
tion, put probably he would return
home There was ample -four in the
house; she would bake and cook, and
fight back death until enough food was
prepared to keep the children alive un-
til their fathers return.
With feverish haste she ran back to
the wood-heap, where she found the
snake pinioned under one of the logs
she had flung down in her horror She
quickly killed 1t; then she returned
to the kitchen, lighted the fire. put
on the camp oven, kneaded up the
dough she had prepared overnight,
and put the loaves in the oven. Then
she prepared other patches Of bread
and placed them in the warmth TO rise.
Every few minutes a horrible drowsi-
ness came over her, but she resolutely
fought il down. She must do her
work, and death must be forced to
wait until il was done.
The children awoke and called for
mamma" She attended to their
little wants in kind of dream. Every
now and again she would sway and
nearly fall, but always with strong
effort Of will she would shake off the
fatal coma and address herself to some
new task
The water used in the house was
drawn from well near by; supply
must be secured and placed within
reach of the children. the horses must
be taken from their own paddock and
put in the one where the sheep were
grazing, within reach of the great clay
water tank. Little Mora, the eldest
take care Of the younger ones when
mamma should have gone to sleep"
Thus the day passed in ceaseless ac-
tivity, and the eveniHE found the
mother still alive.
Only once had she fallen into the
from snake-bite, and she was reused
from this stupor by Little Mora, whom
she had hidden not TO let mamma sleep
for one moment, and by the screams
of the younger chilsTen. She had risen
and run up and down like one dis
tracted until the heaviness partly left
her.
Even now, when night had come
and the children were peacefully sleep
ing she did not dare to lie down lest
she should never rise again, She
looked round with intense satisfac-
tion on the pile of loaves she had
baked; at least her babies would not
starve. Then hope began to dawn. If
she had lived through the day, might
she not recover? Then n dim recol-
lection came Of having heard that IL
one could ward off the deadly coma
until the snake poison was worked
out of the blood. life might be saved.
Spurred by this hope, she went out
and passed the night walking up and
down. The morning found her weak
and weary. but alive and hopeful.
When The little ones awoke they cried
out TO her: 30 mamma. don't 90 TO
sleep! Please don't' ''I's so scared
Please don't go to sleepr
Tears of joy and hope filed the
nother's eyes as she kissed them. say
ing, II won't go to sleep at all. viii
stay with you all the time till father
comes home" And so II proved. Mrs.
Morgan did not die. Her mother-love.
which had first stimulated her.to ac-
ton, lad saved her life. Love con-
auerel dcath.-Youth's Companion.