The St. Mary banner. (Franklin, Parish of St. Mary, La.) 1889-1931, 1909-10-09

| Ky own eyes 1 nGQ witnessed the
| crossing Of train not ten minutes be-
! fore. In all human probability not
| more than four passenger trains-two
! up and two down-went Gathering
| across that skeleton bridge in every
| twenty-four hours.
Without further hesitation, therefore.
| began stepping from sleeper to
sleeper between the line of steel-blue
rails. 1t was not hazardous feat.
An eye for distance, an unfaltering
step, head unaffected by sudden diz-
illness, and the thing was done. With
out fear, therefore, swung on to the
bridge and went gaily along till one
half of the journey had been accom-
plished and | stood Immediately above
the centre of the river that lay so far
below.
And then, suddenly, I heard a sound
that brought my heart into my mouth
1t was the sharp, shrill. whistle of an
approaching train. For moment only
l looked ahead. A thin white line OF
steam showed above the ridge that
formed the southern slop of the valley
wall. Instantly | stood still. 1t was
too near to think Of retreat. What
could | do? Vainly turned my eyes
from side to side.
There was no room to stand even on
the very edge of the projecting sleep
erS.
Dimly, yet with ever. increasing VOL
ume, the distant rumbling of the train
was waited to my ear. Desperately |
glanced below at the rolling river. Not
soul was in sight. None to rescue
me from the pitiless flood Figurative-
ly. at least, l was between the devil
and the deep sea- The rumble had
now became roar. Another minute
and the train would come tearing on
to the bridge. And then a desperate
hope flashed through my brain. Drop
ping upon my knees, 1 sat upon one
of the sleepers, and, leaning forward.
laid both my hands upon the edge of
the one before me. Then, with legs
dangling between, I slipped suddenly
from my seat and hung suspended by
my two hands above that deep, still,
sunlight river
And now another and still more
CHASTITY peril menaced me- For as my
head dropped below the level of the
grimy sleepers my eyes lighted on
small 1.-THE head, with distended jaws
and curved fangs, not two yards dis
tant. The creature was deadly brown
snake, coiled about one of the simmer
iron cross-bars of the bridges struc-
tural framework How it came there
| could not imagine. The Australian
snake does not climb, unless forced by
danger or some equally pressing ne
cessity to do so. But the brown snake
is exceedingly fond of the water, and
it might, therefore, have been alarmed
in mid-stream and scaled the bridge
supports as last resource. And now
l had come to disturb it!
The glittering eyes were red with
anger. The venomed fangs shone
white and threatening in the cruel
jaws. The forked tongue fiicked in
horrible expectancy. The small head
fattened and depressed as it slowly
swayed from side to side. Coil after
soil unloosened from the cross-bar.
while the fiendish fang-set head flicked
nearer and nearer my face. And now
less than two coils held 1t to the
cross-bar. The reptile could loose no
more 1t was making desperate eff
forths to reach me with its hideous
fangs.
Once that darting tongue seemed al
most to lick my cheek. The strain was
intolerable. Not more than thirty Sec
onds could have elapsed since my eye
first centered on that glittering head.
Yet it seemed as many hours. Even
the train had not yet thundered over
my throbbing head. l could hear 1t
roaring and rumbling not far off, and
could even discern its shadow on the
still glowing river. A few moments and
it would rush impetuously over my
head. could feel the bridge culver
beneath its weight. The sleeper l
held seemed suddenly charged with
an electric current as it vibrated and
shivered and numbed my already ach-
ing fingers. The train on my arms.
too, was becoming more and more in
tolerable Great drops of perspiratlon
coursed down my face. ! was trem-
bling in every nerve and fibre OF my
being. Above me, that roaring train!
Below, that pitiless river. And IN
my very face that venomous head,
with its glittering eyes and distended
jaws, striving, striving, always striv-
ing to deal me the cruellest and ghast-
Hest death of all.
Suddenly the hideous brute drew
hack its head. The coils of its gleam-