The Kinsley graphic. [volume] (Kinsley, Kan.) 1890-1940, 1902-11-07


an the scene that 1 witnessed made
me feel like diggin' right out of that
island.
/ took tn six-shooter from tn
chest, polished it up till it glistened
fit to spoil your eyesight, an vowed
that 4 would go to that there cave
the next day. TIL natives began say
in prayers when / told 'em I was
goin' to the boilin' lake. 1 didn't let
on anything bout tn gold, an went
on my pilgrimage by myself.
Of course, KNOWN of the ungen-
tlemanly habits of this fer-de-lance,
1 carried stick along with me, an
also had the shipowner's siX-shooter
for an emergency. That gun was
almost foot long, an tn way it's
barrel radiated in the light of tn
sun was shorely a sight to behold.
l hadn't paid much 'tenshun to it
'cept to stick some cartridges into
the chambers an admire tn bril-
liancy of tn barrel.
Fip'ily 1 come in sight of tn boil
in lake. This was the roundup place
for tn fer-de-lances. They were
gathered round it so thick that tn
shore looked like a movin' mass.
Never before in my experience with
reptiles had l beheld such a sight.
1 got to wonderin' why these
snakes was squir1nin' round that
boilin' lake so thick, and so I pro-
ceeds to investigate. I 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 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 pecooliar characteristic of
food. In this respect, as we'll as in
many others, he resembles the hui
man family.
Not wantin' to furnish material for
a fer-de-lance barbecue, / didn't get
very near tn boilin' lake, but turned
my attention again to findin' tn
cave of gold. By consultin' my chart
located it about 200 yards from the
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 / had taken my
bearin's and was maxim ready to go
into tn cave out pops fer-de-lance.
1t wasn't less than ten feet long, an
the way it opened it's mouth at me
reminded me of a hungry wolf.
TIL sudden appearance of tn rep
tile give me such start that
dropped tn stick l was carrying an
stood almost paralyzed. But 1 come
to my senses in a hurry when this
GRIMM monster took a squirm to-
ward me. 1t had a head that-was
heap 0igger'n it's body, an it popped
on me all at once that it was a
good chance for 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 tn trigger
again, but still there was nothin' doin'.
The sweat was beginnin' to run down
off my face in a shower by this time,
TIL sun was beatin' down on me, q IN
finally I begun to feel like a statue,
All I could see was tn teeth of that
fer-de-lance an tn shinin' barrel of tn
gun.
After awhile. though. 1 come out OF
tn trance an pulled TIL trigger again.
That gun of tn descendant of Kidd
had gone back on me. pulled tn trig
ger three more times. but there was
no sign of report. TIL fer-de-lance
was still GRIMM my way. He hadn't
moved since l pointed TIL gun at him.
There he stood. rooted to tn ground
like a cactus plant, an there I was
still pointin' tn gun an afraid to
move.
Purity soon I noticed that tn snake
was lookin' at tn barrel of tn gun an
not at me. Then scmethin' entered my
think-chamber. / had charmed that
snake with tn bright barrel of tn gun,
an he was harmless as piece of shrub
berry. When this thought struck me
l commenced to back away. Mr.. Fer
defiance followed me. He wasn't try
ing to creep up on NE. He was gain
at tn gun an apparently havin' all
kinds of nice dreams.
l was afraid to lower tn weapon for
fear OF startin' somethin' I couldn't
stop. so kept backin' away toward tn
ranch. with this here giant followin'
me. For five hours backed along tn
trail leading tn hypnotized snake an
fgurin' that when 1 got to tn greasers
they would kill him. But when 1
reached tn greasers an they saw me
escortin' a fer-de-lance they was
plumb stampeded. They run in every
direction. leayin' me to my fate.
This left me in about tn worst fix
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
LILLE hnI