St. Tammany farmer. [volume] (Covington, La.) 1874-current, 1905-05-06
Willie" she shouted, Jump! The
1-n'c ~

L " ?" W""2SAs lac COuLluUSu " wal
/ The snake stopped, confused, cranin
its head upward at the new complica
ton, then downward at its known ad
versary. Its hesitation would max
Willie's escape practicable, if he coul,
conquer his crazy fear.
| Willie, break off a limb beat
| back! / can rum"
The snake undulated few inches far
| Their. The reiterated cry was Willie'
only response. Annals quick eye say
! another chance.
There's that big limb Of redwood
You can reach it. Swing across. IT.
easy. You must!" stamping. 20, VIII
lie, do it! Do it,"
Her sailor father had often re
proved Anna for her delight in climb
ing and swinging from tree to tree, b!
means of her long arms and practicet
hands. ...
''It ISIS not goodt for you to be ;
monkey, mine Anna" he would say
Little girls need nefer to go to thu
masthead. Thou hast no call to be Z
sailor. Be only grave kindchen, anG
help our goodt mother wit the Dishes
His admonition would dissolve in al
unrestrained roar of laughter as she
wickedly Skinned up the porch posi-
to coign Of vantage on the vine-cov-
cred roof.
But she could not climb the tree
where the snake still chung. There was
the neighboring redwood, huge-girthed,
smooth-boled, with limbs out of reach,
yet the lowest bough almost touching
the limb on which Willie crouched, me-
chanically clutching the body of the
tree, but dumb with the horror of his
situation.
Anna hurriedly piled up large rocks un-
der thick broken branch-stump of the
redwood, which was at least eight feet
from the ground. Four times she leaped
upward and fell back, wounding her
tough little feet. She noticed blood
stains on the rocks as she heaped them
with e broader base for her fifth at
tempt. The snake rested, waving his
head downward as if in query. Fortu-
nately he was full and sluggish.
p Once more Anna croEched and shot
upward. Her right hand caught the
projecting stump, her left easily fol-
lowed. Clasping the deceased trunk OF
the tree in her slim, muscular legs, hang
ing also by her hands, she dropped her
head backward to take observation.
The snake hung out, also, toward her,
from his tree, then resumed his celib-
crate climbing. Evidently the task
was neither easy nor to his liking.
Anna hitched breathlessly up toward
the coveted limb. Reaching it, she took
out her acknowledgements COM
panion- scientifically cut wedge from
a short limb above her, and broke off
the weakened branch. Recovering her
balance, she reached out with this flex-
ible club, but could not touch the snake,
now reused to accelerated activity,
Holding her weapon between her
teeth, Anna worked her way nearly to
the end of her tough support. Throw
ing out her right hand, she was able to
catch the big limb, at the base of which
Willie, almost insensible, still hud-
He'd. Then she swung, pendulum-like,
by her hands, increasing her momen-
Lum. AT the right moment she released
he redwood bough and flung her light
body full upon the young oak. Grasp
ing the limb with both hands, she hauled
herself up beside the terrified boy.
The snake, shaken by the tumult
above, wavered and stopped. AS rule,
| rattlesnake, conscious of defense,
makes a good fight; but here the condi-
ions were unusual and confusing. On
evel ground, where he could have coiled, |
md where his sensitive under surface |
ould have slid comfortably over smooth |
arth, he would not have shirked |
ombat when cornered. Now, with his |
'nemy mysteriously above, his one idea |
eemed to be escape.
Willie jabbered an idiotic welcome.
HE can't strike until he gets clear
lere," Anna treasured him. HE can't
oil.'
Her rapid blows still further dis.
mayed her antagonist. He bit vicious
Y at the stick, touching it more than
nee; for the rattler's strike is deadly
wifi, despite his languid locomotion.
At last Anna, settling herself firmly
n the limb, raised her club with both
ands and delivered slashing blow on
be neck of her foe, breaking, as they
fterward found, his vertebral column.
The darting head hung limp; pro-
ressive loosening ran through the mot
ed coils; there was a slight rasping
ound, thud, and then whitish heap
n the ground, which Anna cleared
hen, swinging downward by her hands
, safe distance, she leaped lightly
} the ground.
Willie followed, dazed and fearful.
e helped round UP the cows, casting
lrtive glances ahead and on each side
every footstep. Before entering the
ouse, he skunk, although still agonized
18th fear, through the golden twilight
, the abhorred bathing pool and the
nguidly hutterinC cross bars of the
,pudiated Bingham shirt.
But Anna, too i'll for supper. crept
ito her fathers arms, where he sat
I the vine-darkened veranda, and fei.
sleep on his shoulder.
ZACH, mine Anna" the captain said,
nderly, lit ISIS sometimes goodt for
tile girls to make themselves to be
ilors! youths Companion.
ATCHED IN POLAR WINTER
ird Of the Antarctic Region Which
Has But Recently Become