Sunday Washington globe., 1902-04-06

denied 10 Reuueneu Ol lA7 AANr " VI AAkAHahc
In that little Emerald Gem Of the Ocean.
Descent is it thin" saye he, Be the upper
that plecd before Moses, I'm rale native of
the ould sod I suppose you have heard
long ago. how the snakes in manner most
antic Saint Patrick dhruv of to the county
NIavo. and thrundled them into th~
Atlantic" quoted he with merry twinkle
in his eye.
II being a genuine diamond-back and
always accustomed TO the wather, unlike
your rusty black mountain rattler, had no
difficulty in navigating the warrum shalu-
brious wathers av the Gulf Sthrame" In
saying this he jocularly assumed as rich
brogue as you would wish to hear. THE
shark or porpoise continued he, who
sought to make a meal of me soon received
his quietus, and as | sailed along with my
tail aloft like an oriAamme, they quickly
learned to respect il az danger signal It's
meselfthat discovered Ameriky long before
Columbus, and a much bether use ] made
av the discovery than did that renowned
navigator"
Here he noticed me casting a sceptical
glance at his tail, which had but twentY-one
rattles, instead of being adorned with a
matter of fourteen hundred, which should
exile OF the time of Saint Patrick would
necessarily have to he. You think one of
me tails inconsistent with the other" said
he, with an expression of easy good humor'
but the general belief so assiduously Guilt
waited by the proprietors of freak museums,
etc. to the effect that a rattlesnake has
rattle for every year Of his age is without
foundation in fact Whin a rattlesnake has
as many rattles as he needs in his business
he ceases growing them.
81 don't suppose would have been living
now, if had not luckily discovered the
fountain av perpetual youth back here in
the Okefenokee, the air av tn swamp being
a little malarious. Ponce de Leon found
cred around here enough in all conscience
in search av that same fountain, but he
missed it be a scratch. Howsomedever
there was an old black mule that escaped
from Punch-th' -lariats expedition, and
blundered onto the fountain accdently,
thus showing that stupidity may blunder
into success when intelligent enterprise
may fail to attain it.
II thought once / would endeavor to
make the jackass's acquaintance, as our ex-
elusive knowledge av the fountain gev us
an interest in common, but whin I ap-
preached him with every manifestation av
frindship and cordiality instead av meeting
me overtures in the spirit in which they
we're advanced, he lifted me wan in the ear
with his lift hind fut It would have settled
me hash if had not been immortal. Afther
that 1 sthudiously avoided his sassiety,
and the impression that have ever had
that a mule has a rascally countenance, was
abundantly confirmed be that expayriance
81 have no doubt that there are others
who would be willing to add their testimony
to mine in regard to the lack of integrity
I displayed in the faytures av a mule" said
he with a meaning glance at me- You
could says / lacouically" "Asto the fate
of the mule continued the exile, like the
jackass that he was he wouldn't be continted
here but wint aft in search av the narth
| pole, and divvle the wan av himself or tn
/ pole was ever seen since.
How do you like America?" says 1, wish
| ing to change the subject 'l'm beginning
t. get used 10 it," says he, though for the
mather of that sorra long il tuck me to be-
come uatheralized In fact I was the boss
Az the swamp from the first day / landed. "
Our conversation having assumed the
nature of an interview, asked him how the
liquor in this country compared with the
Irish Installations. well, to be sure, the
dhrop dhrink at home was very fine, but
the liquor l have access to here in Florida
| is raysonably satisfactory. However,
| often have longing after a taste av the
/ poteen or thimblefu of inisthowen, and I
would be nightly obleeged to you would
/ you secure me the laste taste in life av it
some time whin you are in New York The
| fact is the wather av tn fountain av youth,
| if wather it can be called is itself very
good liquor and contains high percentage
av sperit, a circumstance that would be
very surprising T. Mrs. Nation, no doubt.
drink it only in temperance and rayson
meself, but the omadhaun av a black mule
often med baste av himself be taking too
much av IT,
Don't forget the flask av poteeu, anyhow.
Come to think av It, as you seem to be a
daycent sort av a gintleman and quite to
me notion, wouldn't mind letting you into
the saycret av the fountain, but to avail
yourself Of its bine6ts it would be necessary
for you to remain in the neighborhood and
be continted with the society of meself and
the alligatOrs."
The time for my departure having arrived,
l expressed my pleasure at having had the
opportunity of making his acquaintance,
and he responded to my sdieux in the
school.
As wound my way through the thick,
semi tropical forest, the force of the old
adage, 'As wise as a serpent" impressed
itself on my mind with newer aud deeper
meaning; for among other wonderful things
l learned from him that il was he that gave
the swamp its name it being only an in
gaynious variation on the name of ould
O'Finucane who lived at the ford beyant
BallyslugatherY, whose hins often used to
swally at home in the ould country whin /
wanted a bite to ate " He said also that the
"burruds sang a much sweeter song in the
ould country than here especially as they
sang with bit of the brogue that was quite
enhancing"
Spirit of Resignation.