The labor world. [volume] (Duluth, Minn.) 1896-current, 1905-03-04
GOOD SNAKE
MEETS DEATH
From the New York Sun:

"A very interesting trip I had, in
deed, going on the cars from Beau
mont, Texas, to Sour Lake, one day,
said Jonn Gilbert. the travelling gro
ceryman, Through having the compa-
ny part of the way Of tall. slim
passenger with very wide trimmed
gray hat and long white mustache.
| From the aroma of Texas grown
perfecto that chung TO him as ne sas
down in the seat in front Of mine
| imagined he had been for some time
inclosed il, the atmosphere of the smok-
ing car. Gazing out of the window
moment at the unsympathet1c prospect
of gnarly rooted cypress trees, patri-
archal in their long gray boards of
Spanish moss. and the ranks Of brist-
| ling palmetto palms at their feet. he
heaved sigh, and, turning to me,
said:
"I want to tell yo', sub. that it
amt the man who holds suttenty in
his hand that always wins success!
Two little juices in the hands Of man
| Of courage, sub. have many times
played hob with the club flush Of the
| coward
with that philosophic burst OF con-
| fidence the white mustached passenger
turned to the window again. but saw
it ALL There was no doubt now that he
had been in the smoking car. And up
against it
II couldn't help but assure him that
there was truth enough in his homely
remark to give a. George Washington
share of it to every man in Texas,
! with enough to spare to stir even the
breast of Senator Joe Bailey with new
and strange sensations. BY and by he
turned to me again and said:
DO you know, sub, that these we're
Prohibition folks is striking at the very
roots O. pussonal liberty. sub, yere III
Texas?'
II said it would surprise me bit.
"-'And they've struck the blow in the
Horsepen Creek precinct. sub, the gar
den spot Of all Texas, and my home,
suh,' said he The blow had mighty
nigh fell when it come to pass that yo'
| dassen't give yore neighbor or the
wayfarin' man a refresher from yore
bottle. kaze yo' was breakin' the law,
and liable to land in jail, and they
kept their eyes on yo' so close.
"'And yet, when Captain Joe Finley
come joggin' into my house from up
the creek one day, with his eyes bulg-
| in, sub, and in a ragin' fever, and
hollerin' that big moccasin snake
had bit him, they didn't have the
| heart to lay the law on me for unhid-
In my bottle and pourin' q half pint
Or so into Captain Joe to antidote tho
shane p ASOil. L IL ochy IAeA| AVA SA'
That doggone moccasin had been
! lurkin' up around Captain Joe's for
more than q long while, and seems like
| nobody could git a club onto it, some
how. Guess maybe it wasn't more than
! two days after Captain Joe come rum
| MIN in to git cured O that snake bite.
! when if it didn't pounce out onto him,
| sub, and sock him another time!
"'In he comes, and human natur'
wasn't gotn' to see him curl up into
fits and die. jest kaze the law was
ag'in passin' out the bottle that had the
antidote in it, and I passed it out to
! Captain Joe and sent him home re-
! joicin'. But the Prohibitionists shook
their heads.
Twice ag1n Captain Joe got bit by
in in to git cured. Then Yesterday
he come in ag'in. I noticed
that he looked discouraged. and says
| that snakes is shore keepin' Captain
Joe pretty busy. Prohibitioners was
standin' round pretty thick.
"'"Well, Cap" says, II see yore
| bit ag'in. Come git yore antidote."
"'"Cunnel," says Captain Joe. Il
amt bit, and there amt no use" and
he was most a-mOanin'.
"'"Ain't bitf' I says.
/ "'"No," he says. They've done
gone and killed the moccasinl'' says he.
| 'Prohibitioners, subj! said the white
mustached passenger. 'Strikin' at the
yere in Texas!'
THE train stopped here, and it was
the station where the entertaining
passenger got off, and I was sorry, for
! the trip seemed uncommonly dull after
| that"