Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-11-21

"A nturalist, travelling in South Am.
erica, was one day threading his way
through dense forest near the banks
81 the Amazon, collecting bird skins
for mounting purposes. He carried. In
hand gun loaded with the finest shot,
while his Indian guide followed, bear
ing a rifle charged with buckshot in
case jaguar should cross their path.
Suddenly a bird OF brilliant plumage
flew into a tree just over their heads
and as the naturalist peered into the
thick foliage to discern the bird, he
became aware OF something swaying
from q branch before his eyes. and
the peculiar dazzle and flash of its
pTismatic colors produced a strange
Kaleidoscope impression on his mind.
So suddenly and unobtrnsiyely had the
object come into view that the fact
dawned only slowly upon his con-
seriousness, preoccupied as he was In
his search for birds, that the thing he
saw softly reaching toward him was
the head and six feet OF the neck and
body OF an enormous Waterloo. From
its mouth forked tongue was shoot.
Ing and vibrating while its eyes. flash.
ing with changing light, were bent
upon. the hunter. Standing entranced
with, cooked gun in hand, II did not
accur4to him to use the weapon, for
be stood gazing literally spellbound. as
the snake, slipping slowly and stcalthi-
lyefrom the branch ON which II lay,
pushed ont Sits head more closely to-
ward him.
There was a sudden shout 1t was
the guide Quick as flash the
snakes head drew hack with an angry
hiss rs the Indian crowded past, rails
fiik his gun to hts shoulder as he did
So and with the loud crack! crack!
0f the two barrels, he seized the hunt
er with both arms and bore him away
20 . place OF safety, from whence they
saw the reptile, which had dropped
from the tree. writing and twisting
ID the path--a monster % feet long
Ind l3 feet in girth. The two charges
81 buckshot had shattered its head,
Int is awful commissions were enough
TO- show the reptiles enormous
ttrenfth. and gave the naturalist
ncYersto be-forgotten idea Of how he |
Would have fared IL once he had been
daught In its deadly coils II was
1lrky escape. The guide had saved
Tim from q hypnotic influence which
would have soon overpowered and de-
stroyed him.
We have in this incident sugges-
i've illustration Of the seductive power
q strong drink. Thousands upon
thousands Of our young people allured
through the subtle and novel attrac.
ilfeness OF the 'Iirst glass" are
caught In the coils OF the tempter
from whose deadly embrace through |
Their own powers or resistance there Is |
no escape.
4 friend OF mine who edits q coun. |
Try paper on the mainland sent me a |
copy OF his journal. in which he had |
printed letter from man convicted |
Of murder The letter Is from the
murderer to his son and Is such q |
Tremendous piece of testimony. along |
tkese lines indicated. that feel !
must transcribe paragraph or so for
the benefit Of the reader. II Is evil
IDENTIFY d letter that just bubbles upl
cut OF mans broken heart This
faddest Of men SAYS:
III b with q heart full OF sadness
that write you this from the county i
lail. where ] am now confined. am
A an Iron cell. eight BY sixteen feet
where am kept cay and night. The
room contains only q stove, an iron
~ fear and anguish on account of
pIenkets. II you live to be old enough
-. II