Year: 1868

girl had thought she would like to change
her name to Mrs. jackson. But John was
| no ladies' man. The fact was, he was
| bashfui- lie would rather hoe potatoes all
day than undergo the ceremony of an intro
duction to young lady. Not that John
dIsiiked the fair creatures far from it. We
beiieye that he. in common with all bashful
and well-meaning men, entertained the very
highest respect and admiration for them.-
And tins, no doubt, was the principal cause
of bis bashfulness. He felt that they were
superior beings, and that he was unworthy
to associate with them upon terms of equality.
But we cannot stop to moralize. 4


Nancy Clark was the daughter of a yery
respectable farmer, whose land Joined the
jackson farm Nancy was a pretty, sancy
nttie witch, and she liked John Jackson
when they were children they attended the
same scnool, and when he was few years
her senior, was usually her champion in the
panioean plean. IN \ coming and going. At last John
became SO much of Young man as TO he
kept from school, as she had been in mast
years. John discovered, too, he was grow
ing in stature, and it seemed as if he had
been growing out of shape. His feet and
legs appeared very awkward he did not
know what to do with his hands; his face
panied him, and taking all in all, he was in
clined to think he was not more than half
put together.


AS novelists say,;i was lovely day in
August. The sun was clear, serene and
beautiful, the trees were loaded with golden
fruit, and the beautiful birds twttered their
songs OF love In the branches. Earth There
we've slid down to earth once more; such
lofty flights-they make our head rlizzy)-
VIC were prepared to say that earth yielded
bountilul harvest of grass and clover, and
honeysnckles, which the noble veomanry of
Chesteryille had garnered within their store.
houses-but upon n second thought have con-
cluded to word it thus: = The farmers ut
Chesterville had done harvesting" aei aegg
John Jacksons s sister had n quilting that
afternoon. His father had gone to '' Keith's
Mills to get some wheat grnund and left
John to repair some tools, to be ready on the
morrow to commence moving the meadow
grass. Suddenly it occurred t, John that if
he remained about the house that afternoon
he would be called in at tea time and re.
quired to do the honors of the table. To
save this he quietly shouldcred his scythe
and stole away to the meadow, half mile
distant, fully resolved that he would not
leave there until it was so dark that he
could net see to NOW, and to avoid seeing
the girls. saa r.


The meadow was surrounded on oil sides
by a thick forest which effectually shut out
what little breeze there might chance to be
stirring. The sun poured its rays as though
the little meadow was the focus point where
the heat was concentrating. John moved
and sweat-sweat and moved, until he was
obliged to sit down and cool off, Then it
occurred to John that if he took off his pants
he might be much more comfortable. There
could be no impropriety in it. for he was
entirely concealed from observation. and
there was not the slightest reason to sup,
pose that he could be seen by any person.


So John stripped off. and with no cover
save his linen-commonly called shirt-he
resumed his work. lie was just congratu,
latng himself upon the good time he was
having, and the lucky escape he had made
from meeting with the girls, when he
chanced to disturb huge, black snake, a
genuine twister, with a white ring round its
neck. -e3


John was no coward but he was mortally
afraid of snakes. Self preservation" was
the first passage that flashed across his
mind, and " legs take care of the body" the
next. Dropping his scythe and springing
like top, he was ready to strike go gait,
when at that moment the snake was near
enough to hook his crooked teeth into Johns
shirt Just above the hem. With tremen-
dous spring he started off with the speed Of a
locomotive. His first jump took the snake
clear off the ground. and as he stole hasty
glance over his shoulder, he was Mortified to
see the reptile securely fastened to the ex-
tremity of his garment. while the rapiditv
with which he rushed forward kept the ser
pent extended at an angle of ninety degrees
with his body.


Here was quandary. Ifhe stopped, the
snake would coil about his body and squeeze
him to death if he continued the race. he
must fall from sheer exhaustion On he flew,
scarce daring to think how this dreadful race
was to end. Instinctively he had taken the
direction of home, feeling of security came
over him. Suddenly flashed across his
mind the true state of affairs-his father
gone-the quilting, and worse than all, the
girls. The next moment he felt the body of
the cold clammy monster in contact with his
bare legs, his tail creeping around them in
sort of cozening way, as by way of tickling
John up the knees.


| This was too much for human endurance.
| With veil such as man never utters save
when in mortal terror, poor John set forward
i at Dredkueck epttu, Auu OHCo HiOFe Hdu IDe
pleasure of seeing the snake resume his hori
zontal position somewhat after the tail OF a
comet.


On, ION they fewl John forgot the quilt
ing. and forgot the girls-forgot everything
but the serpent.


His active exercise, (he paid particular
attention to his runningl together with the
excessive heat, had brought on, the nose
bleed, and as he ran, ears erect and head
thrown back, his chin, throat, and shirt
bosom were stained with the flowing stream,
| His first shrek had startled the quilters,
and forth they rushed, wondering if some
Indian was not prowling about. BY this
time John was within few rods of the barn.
still running at the top of his speed, his head
turned so that he might keep one eye on the
snake and with the other observe what
course he must take. The friendly barn
now conceded him from the sight of the
girls lie knew that the girls were in the
yard having caught a glimpse Of them as
they rushed from the house. A few more
bounds and be would be in their midst. For
! a moment modesty overcamc fear, and he