Year: 1874

FORK.TONGUED.


"Harry!' she gasped, in strange,
harsh, cracked voice; and, as started
and looked up from my work, there was
my wife coming toward me, with her
arms stretched out, her eyes fixed, and
a horrible, CHASTITY look upon her white
face, that made me drop my spade and
run to meet her. caught her just as
she was falling, when her eyes closed
and she gave shiver that seemed to
shake her whole body.


This was soon after we had settled
out in the up-country, and there was
only another hut here and there in those
days; but, after years Of knocking
about at home, trying to get an honest
living aud never succeeding, we had to
make our minds to try Australia, and
here We we're, living in log hut I had
knocked up for myself, shepherding and
doing what little I could in the shape
Of gardening; for that being my rig hit
trade. with all the beautiful rich soil
lying fallow, it did seem sin to me not
to have turn at it; so, getting what
seeds I could from Sidney, and adding
to the few I had in my chest, managed
to make quite little Eden of the bit
Of land l broke up around our hut.
We were not saving money, not to any
extent, but there was a roof over our
heads, and no rent to pay, lots Of vege-
tables Of our own planting, and not
costing anything, plenty of work to do,
and, one sort and another, always plenty
to eat so that, after what we had gone
through in England, you may be sure
we were willing to put up with such in
conveniences as fell to our share; and,
as a matter of course, there were things
to encounter out there in what some
people would call wilderness, though
it was wilderness that blossomed like
a rose. There were times when we
were in dread Of the blacks, who had
done some very queer things here and
there about; then the place was terri
bly, lonely and out of the way if you
wanted the doctor; and Mary used to
joke me because never could get a
pint of beer, but found could get
on just as we'll without it, and, my
word, what Il capital cup Of tea we had
out there.


Well, Mary came out to me that day
looking so horribly CHASTITY that, being
naturally too fast at fancying troubles
in advance, l saw directly half score
of blacks coming to spear US, aud some
of them knocking out the children's 3
brains with their clubs-and not the
first time either, but in few moments
the poor girl opened her eyes and be.
gan to stare about her. There was no
blacks to be seen. Little Joe was sit
ting in the path playing, and, though l
looked along the edge Of the wood be-
hind the house, l could see no signs OF
danger; SO began to see she must
have been taken i'll, and turned over in
my own mind how I should get help tor
her.


just then her face grew contracted
again as her thoughts seemed to 90 back,
and gasping once more, - Harry, Har.
ry'" she gave another Sshuddev, and said,
"The baby-a snake!'


l could not see myself, but | know
turned pale, all the blood seeming t,
rush to my heart, for if there is any
thing Of which am afraid it is a snake
even going so far as to dislike eels, OF
which there were plenty in the river
close ut hand. ,.~.


I don't know how we got there. bu,
the next thing remember is standing
at the hut window. with Mary hoidin.
little Joe tight in her arms, aud look
ing through at the cradle where our lit
tie thing OF nine months old was lying
and my heart seemed to be turn
ing to ice as | saw nestled in tn
foot Of the cradle, partly hidden in tn
blanket, with some Of it's horrible coil
III full sight, aud its head resting upo
them, the largest snake had seen sine
I had been in the country. The feel
ing was something awful, and i stoo,
there for i few moments leaning upo
the round handle Of tie hue I ha,
caught up, not able 70 move, for Il,
eyes were fixed upon the head of chs
hidoous heaSt. and i expected every mo