Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-22
Around Snake
Corner
A StagecOach
Story
BY cLARIssA MAcKIE

Aaih i'hAs tAt Htdtk HHiNtN Htibttiii-
against the heavy load Of passengers
"whooupr shouted Ike Williams
IS he guided the team around a sharp
corner where jutted great split rock.
Are there amy snakes around here:
asked tlmid passenger
Ike Williams turned ruddy face
toward the passengers. and as his light
brown eyes met those of plump little
woman In the corner he winkcd signid-
cantly
The plump little woman looked very
severe ana turned hei eyes away
Yes sir: this is called snake corner
ana IFS q funny th.ng that every time
! reach this particular rock every
stranger aboard want, 70 know IL there
are snakes hercabouts
Well are there auy snakesi" de
manded the thiu Woman sharply
There are snakes sometimes. ma'am
once was coming up from Cherry
Brook with load ~ FOLKS. and just MS
We reached snake corner one OF the
wimmcn screamed and tainted and
the others all hoHered To beat the
band Of course stopped and looked
TO see what was the matter"
what was iif" demanded the pas
sengers hrcathlossly
Trash" shifted pebhy BOVINE
1T WAS whole passed. Of black
snakes assuming themselves on the
biz rock
Il WAS some Mustered because /
knew, an my passengers being vim
men. Ia have trouble between the vim
men and the snakes and the bosses
here. who amt rot no use FOR reptiles
Tin luirk thinker. and" MIR
Williams paused ana east a suspicious
glance among his passengers Fl
thought somebody lated" he said ~
excessively
No one made reply Debby Bovine
was staring through the open doorway
and the ittlc dark man appeared to be
asleep
The other six passengers were hang
ing hreaihlessly on the words of the
stage driver
Go on" they cried impaiiently
What did YOU do them"
"a got down from my seat and, TAX.
ing my whip. | went up to the rock
and laid il on to them snakes till there
wasn't ono to be seen Then ! clumb
back to the stage and drove on
The wimmcn Nh cried with Joy over
getting rid of the snakes and when we
reached the top Of the hill-this one
were climbing now happened to
look back. and Whist do you suppose |
seeT' Ike paused dramatically
"what did you scc:' they asked in
chorus
Snakes" said Ike frowning AT the
recollection About fifty blacksnakcs.
assorted sizes. all humping themselves
along the road trying to catch up with
me | reckon they would have rlumb
up over the wheels and right into the
stage IL | hadn't done some quick
thinking
I'm somcthin. Of n reader Iur
sued Ike modestly and. being inter
csted IN the critters I'd read consider
able about snakes So took my har
monica ont Of my pocket and getting
out of the stage. went back and
PLAYED Yankee Doodle 10 them pur
suing reptiles. and III be blamed II
the hull lot didn't stand still Ike they
was charmed and then played a
march called The Retreat And you'll
hardly hclicve me when ! shy that the
hull regiment Of hlacksnakes turned
tail and bumped themselves back down
the road
Whoa Here you are, Willow
House
With the words Ike halted his horses
with a flourish before the door Of the
little mountain inn
With the single exception Of pebbN
Bovine the occupants of the stage dis
mounted ~ tho inn While some ~
them were paying the driver. the
foreigner leaned toward peohy Howne
Does he speak Of TRUTH he In.
qulrcd nuddins toward Ike Williams
Two rcd spots glowed in Debby's
cheeks
The truth is not IN him. she said
emphaticnlly
You know him % n certainty. thar
he lies asked the man sharply
IL was engaged e. marry him" said
Debby with dry bitterness
Was" repeated the man dOuhtfnlly
Was" emphasized pehhy until
fifteen minutes ago"
"Ah with many thanks Tor the con
fidencp smiled the stranger bowing
himself away with his heavy hasket
Just rs thr sinsp was ul"uf to re-
sumo lis inurney with Miss BOVINE ~
its sole inmate that small person skip
ped nlcrtlv down tho sieps aud siam
med the door upon the empty vehicle
"Ain'r Won going 10 ride M a. the
lane with ne prhhv:" demanded Ike
IN diSmay
"Nni tmlas returned nebhv crisplv
I'D rather walk fhan ride with Srch
n story teller u.s. Won ARE Nnu rem"m