Daily Kennebec journal. [microfilm reel] (Augusta, Me.) 1870-1975, 1912-08-15
KILLED THE MoccAslN SNAKE.
And Capt. Bill Mourned His Loss
With Reason.

II was sitting on the gallery of the
little hotel in one Of the very driest of
the dry towns in the dry belt of North
Carolina" said New York trotter
about the country, when lank and
thirsty looking native came strolling
YEARLY along the road, sat down on a
pine stump that served as horse block
for the hotel, mopped his face, and af-
ter scrutinizing glance or two at the
surroundings addressed me and said:
do you know. sub, that these pro-
hibition folks are putting the ak to
the very roots of the tree of pussonal
liberty, down h'yuh in Moth Ca'lina,
subj?
Il said / hoped 1T wasn't quite as bad
as that.
".Sho1y, suit Sholys insisted the
native. And they've struck the blow
in the Cheating Creek precinct, sub, the
garden spot of Moth Ca'lina, and my
home subj
The blow had mighty near fell when
it come to pass that you dasn't give
yore neighbor or the wayfaring man
refresher out of your bottle without the
Jail staring you in the face, sub, kase
you was breaking the law, and they
kept their eye on you SO close; and yet,
when Capt. Bill Junkin come joggin'
into my house from up the creek one
day, his eyes all blazing and he in a
raging fever. and hooted to me that a
big moccasin snake had bit him. they
didn't have the heart to lay the law
onto me for unhidng my bottle and
pouring half pint or so into Capt. Bill
to antidate that snake pizen. I'll say
that for 'em.
That doggone moccasin snake had
been lurking round Capt. Bills for more
than long time, and / guess maybe it
wasn't more than two days after Capt.
Bill had come running in to get cured
of that snake bite when I'm hanged if
the moccasin didn't pounee on him an
other time. In he came. hooting again.
and human nature wasn't going to see
him curl up into fits and die just be-
cause the law was against passing out
the bottle that had antiaote in it and
/ passed it out to Capt. Bill and sent
him home rejoicing.
"'Twice more after that Capt. Bill
got bit by that lurking and yindietiye
moccasin snake and came dashing in for
to get cured. Then yesterday he came
in again.
al noticed he looked discouraged and
l said that snake is shore keeping Capt,
Bill very busy Prohibition folks was
standing around there thick. and watch
ing out. but they didn't seem to care,
so ] said to Capt Bill:
lowell, Captain" / said, 81 see yore
bit again. Come and get your anti
dote"
""Colonel' says he, Il amt bit, and
there amt no use.' says pore Capt Bill,
and he was moaning
"Ain't bit?' said !. feeling sorry
for Can't Bill
NO" says he, waling sad to hear.
81 amt bit. They've done gone and
killed the moccasln snake, subj
"The native paused mopped his head
again. and shaking it mournfully said:
'tLaying the ak TO the very roots of
pussonal liberty, sub. these prohibition
folks are. suh. down h'yuh in Moth Ca
lima, and they've struck the blow in the
Cheating Creek precinct, the garden
spot of Moth Ca'lina and my home.
sub, DO you reckon, sub, they've took
to swinging the AK into them roots
around h'yuh, sub, so deep that it won't
be any use for man to hope for be-
ing antidoted if he goes out and gets
bit by moccasin snake, subj
Il was obliged to tell the native that
l was afraid such was the situation
around there. and he got down off of the
stump and Went on his way."-N. Y.
Sun.