Herald and news. [volume] (West Randolph, Vt.) 1878-1943, 1902-06-26

/ PCts Of dAecteQ NJ with pareslsF
A moment later when Tom looked
for the nitroglycerin he fonnd it al
gone. Then he remembered that the
glycerin has a swedish taste. He re.
allied that the snake had eaten it.
lie was too overioyed to think he had
not given the MISREPRESENTATION
snake q vigorous kick in the body Ia
mind about the loss Of the explosive,
He hurried out into the yard, where
the snake was summing himself.
Take a day off, he said to the
snake IN his blandest tones I won't
need you in the tavern to-day. Enjoy
yourself in the fields and meadows UNI
til you have digested that last meal
Of yours. Even if yon wander away
quite distance ! shall not scold YOU
Tom always talked 70 the snake as
If it could understand him, and there's
no doubt the snake did comprehend the
substance Of what Tom said The
snake was crawling away with a look
Of content az getting a vacation when
an idea occurred to Tom.
+" Remember he called after the
snake, that bears have even more Of
a sweet tooth than snakes. If that
upstart bear that humbled you the
other night should happen to stumble
when he was full Of nitroglycerin and
whisky he would 60 in little bits to
the place provided for bad bears. And
] wouldn't wonder If this evening
when you return you could find both
the glycerin and booze in the barn
Tom always insists that the snake
understood all he said. Maybe il did,
and maybe il was only an accident.
Maybe, as the deacon says, il was fate.
Anyhow, that evening the deacon
happened 70 feel thirsty. There was
nothing unusual in this, but the
worthy old man, being tired decided
TO send the bear down TO Tom VIII
sons tavern for a bottle Of liquid joy,
instead Of going himself The bear
had made similar trips. SO there was
no reason why the deacon should
blame himself for the tragedy which
followed.
"The bear was on his way back from
the tavern, carrying the bottle in his
mouth, when right in the pathway he
met the snake. At first the good bear
was going TO crush the snake. Then
he noticed that in front of the snake
was a big cup Of whisky.
THE snake looked at the bear in
a friendly way, as if inviting him to
have a drink. The good bear loved
booze. OF course. it was his duty to
60 right home with the bottle 10 the
suffering deacon. But he couldn't
the temptation.
so he pushed the snake away and
drank up all there was in the cup.
Then he picked up the bottle in his
teeth and was on the point of start
ing home.
But the treacherous snake got in
front 81 the bear and began waving
his head and beckoning in a manner
that showed plainly enough he was
inviting the bear TO come with him |
and have some more. The bear hesi- |
lated. Then he turned his back on
luty and the thirsty deacon and sham
lled after the snake into the barn.
I'm the rear of the barn, right out
IN the floor, stood an open pail fun Of
he bears favorite beverage. The bear
applied himself to it in his hearty,
earnest fashion.
"The bear had the capacity Of four
rood men, but the pailful was consid-
rable Of contract at that. In the
nd he finished il. But by that time
lie was far from being a bear that
would have won blue ribbons at tenn
'erance meeting.
as soon as the treacherous snake
aw that the bear was in a condition
# blissful inebriety, he beckoned him
yer to another corner in which stood
small can of nitroglycerin. The bear
waved about over the can in man.
er which made the snake far from
comfortable, but in the end the bear
,wered his head and tasted the glyc-
rim. Then he Tapped up every drop
+ the sweetish stuff, the snake look
no on in an anxious but satisfied man
er.
when the bear was properly loaded
he snake led the way out Of the barn
o the road. The bear followed, but
abby. When they reached a place
here a steep, rocky bank sloped down
rom the side Of the road the snake
lrned off. He gave another wavy,
eckoning motion of his head. Then
e darted off.
THE bear, trusting in the wicked,
-eacherous snake and filed with
lissful visions of more drinks and
veet things, tried to break into a
nm so as to keep up with the snake.
MI the best of bears cannot run after
rinking a pailful Of stuff that cheers
nd stimulates. The bear lost his foot
o.. fen and went with a crash to the
ottom of the rocky slope.
"For the next few seconds it rained
God bear. The snake, too. was only
few feet from the bear when he eN-
81 - Ia bad 70 enjoy his re-