Tazewell Republican. [volume] (Tazewell, Va.) 1892-1919, 1902-12-18

1 got TO wOnderln why these
snakes was squirmin' round that
boilin' lake so thick, and so | pro-
ceeds to investigate. 1 swears by
my reputation as a cowboy that they
was usin' that lake to cook their
breakfast in. They had whole stacks
of little animals piled along tn
shore, an they would throw 'em into
tn water, let 'em simmer for a few
minutes, an then take a branch in
their mouths an haul out their feed.
Scientists haven't found It out yet,
but it's a pecooliar characteristic OF
tn fer-de-lance that he likes cooked
food. In this respect, as well as In
many others, he resembles the hui
man family.
Not wantin' to furnish material for
fer-de-lance barbecue, I didn't get
very near tn boilin' lake, but turned
my attention again to fndin' tn
cave of gold. BY consultin' my chart
4 located IL about 200 yards from tho
lake. 1t was all covered over with
foliage, so that you couldn't see tn
mouth unless you got right on top
of it. Well, just as I had taken my
bearin's ard was maxim ready to go
into tn cave out pops fer-de-lance.
It wasn't less than ten feet long, an
the way It opened its mouth at me
reminded me of a hungry wolf.
TIL sudden appearance Of tn rep
tile give me such a start that 1
dropped TIL stick l was carrying an
stood almost paralyzed. But I come
to my senses in hurry when this
GRIMM monster took a squirm to-
ward me. 1t had a head that was
heap oigger'n its body, an it popped
on me all at once that It was
good chance for a shot. So I cuts
loose with my gun, an pulls the trig-
ger. There was a snap, but no re-
port.
Mr.. Fer-de-Lance riz up on his tail
still a-grinnin' I pulled TIL trigger
again, but still there was nothin' dom.
The sweat was Deginnin' to run down
off my face in a shower by this time.
TIL sun was beatin' down on me, an
finally I begun to feel like a statue.
All could see was tn teeth Of that
fer-de-lance an tn shinin barrel Of tn
gun.
After awhile. though. I come out OF
tn trance an pulled tn trigger again.
That gun Of tn descendant Of Kidd
had gone back on me. Ipulled tn trig-
ger three more times. but there was
no sign of a report. TIL fer-de-lance
was still GRIMM my way. He hadn't
moved since pointed tn gun at him.
There he stood, rooted to tn ground
like a cactus plant, an there 7 was
still pointin' tn gun an afraid to
move.
Purity soon I noticed that TIL snake
was lookin' at tn barrel Of tn gun an
not at me- Then some thin entered my
think-chamber. l had charmed that
snake with tn bright barrel of TIL gun,
an he was harmless as piece Of shrub
berry. When this thought struck me
I commenced to back away. Mr.. Fer
defiance followed me. He wasn't try
ing to creep up on me. He was gain
at tn gNn an apparently havin' all
kinds of nice dreams.
Twas afraid to lower tn weapon for
fear of startin' somethin' I couldn't
stop, so I kept baclIin' away toward TIL
ranch, with this here giant followin'
me. For five hours backed along tn
trail leading tn bypnotized snake an
figurin' that when got to tn greasers
they would kill him. But when I
reached tn greasers an they saw me
escortin' a fer-de-lance they was
plumb stampeded. They run in every
direction, leavin' me to my fate.
This left Inc in about TIL worst fix I
ever found myself in. was dead tired
from holdin' that gun, an was ready to
drop. Just as I was preparin' to throw
tn weapon away an take my chances
on runnin' a sure 'nough lucky thought
struck me.
There was tn ocean just few steps
away. So I commenced to back to'rd
tn water, with tn snake following.
I waded in an he come right along
after me. When he had got in little
piece tn waves washed him over an
purity soon he choked to death on tn
salt water.
I never made no more attempts to
get that gold, cause after the earth
quake tn boilin' lake commenced to
overflow, an it was impossible t get
into tn cave. No, Dir; I got so disgust
ed with Martinique that come back
to tn States-Chicago Inter Ocean.