Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1913-11-22


was standing hy tie wheel looi,Ing up
nj him
"l;re pardon. hut forgot TO pay yon
far transportation aud most enjoyable
~ldr uud agreeable story. said the
stranger politely
"lluh," was Ikcs reply
And the little Lldy With the eyes "
Il dotr She has gone away" asked
TIN uan
~Ynu mean Mis- Dolby BOVINE
growicd Ike omiuou~ly
The muu nodded douhthlly
"Thc lady who saii She was engaged
20 YOU"
Was" hriStlel Ike lis. you mean
'l.r. pardon. tut She said Was on.
gagged til fifteen minutes aga Ah.
monsieur Is most rude cried the
stranger as he skilpcd back beyond
reach Of HE'S whip
Lille rat,' growled Ike. his face
now ~ohcrcd 10 grim anger as he turn.
ed the stage aNout aud returned down
the mountain When ne passed snake
corner he smutc the black horses 50
sayHgely That they ran all the way
Down the mountain side requiring an
of Mr. Williams strength and nerve To
control them
I'ark m Whirpoarwil lane Dehby
BOVINE was cryln. softly to herself
over her lrolSen engagement TO the
hun stage driver. aud at Willow inn
the liItle iprcigucs was preparing to
entertain the CHESTS that evening with
~undry coniuring tricks
The nest afternoon Ike Williams
drove bis stage NJ tie mountain road
There wuS only one passenger inside
and sire WITS strangely silent and unre
-lou~ivc So quiet WIS Dcbhy BOVINE
that Ike began to believe that there
was some truth IN what the foreigner
had hiuicd to him
Was his engagement to Debby Il
hcr for fear of the answer
lcbt4 ISnwnc worked in the postof
dee and rode hon" in the stage every
afternoon II IS not surprising that
She ..rW Tired and annoyed NJ bearing
lk"S OFT repeated snake stories which
ware r.l tatrd t. inspire strangers
with dreadful fear
only q short week ago She had told
Ike that II he ever repeated the black.
SNAKE >tor5 IN her hearing ;hcir "n.
,..ttsnrt..t.f .t.,.tttI .....,.... .tt a,.a.
Now hc ~hot a glance from his tnerry
brown eyes nj the third finger OF her
left hand
The garnet engagement ring WIS
gone
rhrir engagement was nj an end
Now they We're turning around snake
corner
Ike was lost la gloomy meditation on
the front seat when the of horse SHE'D
Violently
"Wh"a" shouted Ike. and with -
glance Ut snake rock be pulled the
trembling horses to standstil and
iurncd his head 10 stare at the great
assured rock about which be had
woven 80 many tales To scare the un
wary Traveller
Coiled on the rock was an immense
serpent. sialy AID glistening. with
horrid head lifted aud Swaying gently
20 aud fro
"G"od heavens breathed Ike through
his sci tcrta
lehhy leaned from window and
stared. terrified
Then. stepping iauntily ont OF tile
mountain path. came the foreign pas
seuscr OF the day before
lie bowed politely TO Ike laid his
hat against his heart when he saw
Dcbhy and at the same instant
gIinp>ed the snake ON the rock
Mon pieu" he squcale,l Shriliy
XIII 1t. monsieur
XIII il YOURSELF" roared Ike testify.
his muscIed arm straining nj the reins
MS bis horses plunged madly.
''But has not monsieur n happy
thought IN this great emergency: II
is true these are not blacksnakes.
hut he shrugged his shoulders sug
gestively
Get nut of the wuyw shouted Ike
angriiy
Pertains monsieur would play Yam.
kee Doodle on his harmoniconr grin.
ned the amused foreigner. Thus could
ne soothe the frightened serpent. even
as Ii" I'D in the GOOD story he related
IN"
NJ that moment the black horse
broke away ana dragged the carecnius
stage after them
Debby liowue white Tipped and
trembling saw Ike Williams regain
mastery IT his team. turn them about
and drive back 10 snake rock just ia
time to see the foreign conjurrr stun
lng the great serpent Into nm odd look
ing hiSkci
"Ila, Monsieur is The brave run
away ehidc,l the Joke towing French
man AZ he securely fastened the cover
~ ia" basket that contained the an
Client. half stupid aud entirely harm
f.aa r..s.tffa ,ssNf.t t,.,. ..n.. 80 "a.