Year: 1868

as thought flashed across his mind the
true state of affairs; his father gone
the quilting; and worst of all, the girls.
This new horror sent the blood back
curdling about his heart, and he came
to dead halt. The next moment he
felt the body of the cold, clammy mon
,ster in contact with his bare legs, as
though his snakeship only meditated a
little fun, by the way of tickling John
upon the knees. This was too much
for human endurance: with yell, such
as man never utters save when in NOR
tai terror, poor John again set forward
at break-neck speed, and once more
had the pleasure of seeing the snake
in his old position, somewhat after the
fashion of the tail of a comet. On, on
they flew. John forgot the quilting,
forgot the girls, forgot everything but
the snake. His first wild shrek had
started the quilters, and forth they
rushed, wondering if some mad Indian
was not prowling about. By this time
John was within few rods of the barn
still running at the top of his speed, biz
head turned so that he might keep on'
eye on the snake, and with the othel
observe what course he must take. Th'
barn now concealed him from the sigh
of the girls. He knew they were il
the yard, having caught glimpse o
them as they rushed from the house
For moment modesty overcame fear
and he once more halted. The snake
evidently pleased with his rapid trans
portation, manifested his gratitude by
attempting to enfold the legs of oul
hero in his embrace.


With an explosive "ouch!" and urg
ed forward by circumstances owe
which he had no CONTROL" poor Johr
bounded on. The next moment he
was in view of the girls, and as ht
turned the corner of the barn the snake
came round with a whiz, somewhat
after the fashion of a coach-whip. Hay
ing reached the barn-yard, to his dis
may he found the bars up. But time
was too precious to be wasted in letting
down bars. He gathered all his strength
bounded into the air, snake ditto, and
as he alighted on the other side hi
snakeships tail cracked across the up
| per bar.


The house now became the centel
of attraction, and around it he revolv
ed with the speed of thought. Foul
times in each revolution, as he turned
the corner, his snakeship came round
with whiz that was quite refreshing
While describing the third circle, a.
he came near the group of wonder
struck girls, without removing his gazt
from the snake, he managed to cry out
Call mani"


The next moment he had whiskeC
out of sight, and quick as thought re
appeared on the other side of the house
"Call mani"


And away he whirled again, turning
the corner so rapidly that the whiz o
the snake sounded about half way be
tween a low whistle and the repeated
pronunciation of double-o. And before
either of the girls had stirred from
their tracks, he had performed another
revolution. "Call man! "


Away he flew once more, but hil



strength was rapidly failing. Nancy
Clark was the first to recover her pres
ence of mind, and seizing a hoop she
took her station near the corner of the
house, and as John reappeared sh,
brought it down upon the snake with
force that broke his back and his hole
upon Johns garment at the same time
John rushed into the house, and t
his room, and at tea-time appeared il
his best Sunday suit, looking but LITTLE
worse for the race, and to all appear
ances entirely cured of bashfulnesss
That night he walked home with Nancy
Clark. The next year they were mar
ried, and now, whenever John is in
clined to laugh at his wife's follies, she
has only to say, "Call a man." wher
he instantly sobers down.