The Mathews journal. (Mathews C.H. [Court House]) 1903-1937, 1909-01-14

So he stretched up his head ant
neck TO climb higher, He found only
leaves and twfgs, too thin and yield
ing to climb On; but among them he
found the strong top OF the Indians
pole.
AHA! This is convenient" thought
he, and he reached his chin over it.
Just then touched the coiled part
! OF him again, and he drew himself
farther up on the pole, for he had
nothing else to climb up on. A little
| touch on his tail made him draw him
] self yet farther up on It: and soon
he lay with his entire body stretched
along it. Again I touched his tail
and he began to advance along it. evi.
IDENTIFY desirous Of getting away from
whatever was troubling him. He
moved very, very slowly.
He was coming down the pole to-
ward the motiOnless Indians, whose
deathlike immobility prevented him
from recognizing them for living be.
ings. From time to time he would
seem to hesitate, but a very, very
light touch on the tail kept him com.
ing. Soon he was halfway.
Keep just as you are now" said !
to the Indians. Il am going to take
the pole from you"
So L gently laid down my own pole,
and took hold of theirs.
Now" said /, both of you move
on very slowly upstream for a few
steps. And you, Cipriano. take up
my pole and gently touch his tail
with it whenever tell you"
Now the snake, as soon as ever he
noticed our movements on the bank.
had halted in his approach, and lay
perfectly still. He saw the two In
oians moving slowly away up the
river bank, and he watched them.
They drew his attention away from
me-
Touch him on the tail, Cipriano."
So Cipriano touched him on the
tail, and he came on steadily, while
l slowly got the pole between my
legs, and with my left hand and
knees held it steady, while in the
same manner I advanced my right
hand up the pole and laid it, resting
on it, back down and palm up, with
the fingers extending to one side and
the thumb to the other, as If they
were broken-off branch stumps.
To the snake they must have ap-
peared so, for he came on without
suspicion. Just as he was a few
inches from my hand, said. Touch
his tail, Cipriano," and the siow-mov.
ing sleeper at once ran his head for.
ward between the outstretched fingers
and thumb. My hand closed on his
throat like the jaws of a trap. He
was my snake.
But he meant to fight for his lib
erty. In an instant he was coiled
round my arm, drawing his coils
tighter and tighter.
"Magici Magic!" cried the In.
dians. That's q magic bamboo"
Well" said I, "it's no magic
snake. anyway. It's a real sure
enough sleeper, isn't IT,"
"Oh, yes" answered they. Hes
real sleeper"
Look here, Saturnino!" said 1.
"I've kept my promise. I've caught
the snake without letting him bite
me. But now / am free, and I'll let
him bite me for your sake. as ! said
l would to prove to you that what /
told you is true"
So let the sleeper nip me twice
on the left arm. Little blood-drops
appeared on the skin, and the Indians
were Mortified. They watched me
narrowly for some time after, think
ing that they would begin to see me
suffering some evil effects.
But that night, after supper and
much talk, Saturnino said:
"Senor, / am going to prove your
words on myself"
So he went to the bag, got out the
snake by the throat, and made it bite
his left arm exactly as l had done.
For few moments he looked quite
grave. Putting the snake back In it's
bag. he came over and sat down again
by the fire.
Il thank you from my heart,
senor," said he. You have given me
knowledge that has taken away my
fear. The sleeper is never terrible to
me any more. For the future will
take the orchids If a hundred sleep
ers guard them. Youths Com
! panion.