The Wahpeton times. [volume] (Wahpeton, Richland County, Dakota [N.D.]) 1879-1919, 1912-04-04

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If you feebly said that you weren't
crazy about snakes Mathers simply
drew long breath. fixed you with a
plying stern glance and lectured to
you on your sins. When he had m
dshed you were in such flabby state
that you would have let snake perch
on your forefinger. ,--.a-.---.
Mathers met Clara Baysworth out
west when her party and his combined
for camping trip through noted
canyon, and the acquaintance pro.
crossed at the rate Of ten miles min.
ute until the fatal moment when tho
stage coach driver silently pointed
with his whip to the side of the sum
baked road. There, lazily stretched
out. lay a rattlesnake. Mathers says
1t was a mere baby snake of q foot
and a half or SO, but If you had in.
CURED OF the others any of them
would have told you 1t was horrible
monster six feet long, with cerise eyes
and a foaming mouth.
Before any one realized what he
was doing, Mathers, with a gurgle Of
pleasure, had slipped to the ground,
swept the snake into heap with his
straw hat, deity grabbed it around
Its neck with three fingers and held
IT up to be admired. Persons who do
the unusual are instantly pronounced
crazy by everybody else, SO the con-
vicition instantly settled upon tho
stageload of travellers that any man
who would deliberately pick up rat.
tier must be insane. Clara Baysworth
got her voice first as Mathers, still
holding his prize, started to climb
back to his seat by her side.
Go away!" she got out in a
strangled voice. eff you come any
nearer I'll stick hatpins into you!"
The distracted coachload echoed her
cries. Fathers clasped their sons to
them and glared at Mathers, women
shrunk into corners and fixed him
with imploring eyes. Clara frowned
at him. pale and desperate.
why" Mathers began soothingly,
and put one foot upon the hub Of the
wheel. But a series q shrieks arose
from his victims.
IL hate you!" Clara Baysworth
told him wildly.
Hes perfect beauty" Mathers
announced firmly, "and want him for
q specimen" Then he shrugged his
shoulders. "Oh, WE'LL" he said, Il
suppose can strangle the little beg
gar!"
His fingers frightened their clasp
around the scaly neck and presently
the rattler hung limp. Putting him in
. convenient box and slowing the box
IN his pocket, Mathers remounted the
coach. but the atmosphere was
strained.
+; For twenty miles he tried to reform
Clara Baysworth. He told her frank.
~ that he was panied and displeased
by her foolish prejudice, but even that
did not move her. She regarded him
with alien eyes.
III listen to you" she said, when
you stop being 90 perfectly foolish!|
And II you ask me again to marry you
while you are carrying that thina3
around with you In screaml"
!. Somebody who was brave opened
the box tho next morning to see the
dead snake and the camp nearly broke
up as the rattler winked one eye and
waved his tail at the Mortified med
dler. having survived his choking, as
iMathers had known he would. Math1
ers paled before Clara Baysworth's
accusing eye.
You certainly have nerve" she
told him, ito ask a girl to endure
things like this the rest Of her life!
I don't care whether it Is science or
not! You might experiment with
guinea pigs or ducks!"
j "Tll chloroform 'em!" Mathers of.
fered, miserably.
You will not!" Clara told him.
"They might have nine lives like a
cat and come to life again, and can.
not stand snakes fer parlor compan-
Ions, dead or sleerins! It's between
me and your sqaiNysi@g friends, Tur.
ley!"
For q long nincte Mathers looked
at her. Then picking up the rattler
ne walked to the eI.;e Of the cliff and
hurled him far out.
"There!" he said simply as he re.
turned and spread out his empty
hands.
T: 'Do-do you suppose 1t h.h.hurt him
Mh'wh-when he landed where you
threw him?" Clara wept.
Then for the first time Mathers
laughed. "oh. you consistent WON.
eni" he said. II wouldn't have had 80
much time to study snakes anyhow,
sincs I've got you to figure out the
rest Of my daysi"