Year: 1874




and looked up from my work, there was
my wife coming towards me. with he,
arms stretched out. her eyes fixed, and
horrible, CHASTITY look upon her white
lace, 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 a 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 but here and there in those
days; but, after years of knocking
about at home. trying to get an honest
living and never succeeding, we had To
make our minds to try Australia, and
here we were, living in a log hut I had
Knocked up for myself, shepherding,
and doing what little 1 could in the
shape of gardening; for that being nv
right trade, with all the beautiful rich
soil lying fallow, it did seem a sin to me
not to have turn at it SO, getting
what seeds l could from Sydney, and
adding to the few had in my chest,
managed to make quite little Eden OF
the bit of land broke up around ouI
hut. We were not saving money, not
to any extent, but there was q roof over
our heads, and no rent to pay, lots OF
vegetables of our own planting, and not
costing anything, plenty of pork 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 a wilderness, though
it was a wilderness that blossomed like
rose. There were times when We were
in dread of the blacks, who had some
very queer things here and there about;
then the place was terribly lonely and
out of the way if you wanted the doctor;
and Mary used to joke me because
never could get pint OF beer, but
found could get on just as well with
out it, and, my word, what q capital
cup of tea we had out there.


Well, Mary came out TO me that day
looking horribly ghastly that, being
naturally too fast at fancying troubles
in advance, 1 saw directly half a score
of blacks coming to spear us, and some
of them knocking out the children g
brains with their clubs-and not the
first time either, but in a few moments
the poor girl opened her eyes, and be-
gan to stare about her. There were no
blacks to be seen. Little Joe was sit
ting in the path playing, and, though I
looked along the edge of the wood be-
hind the house. 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 1 should get and
help for her.


Just then her face grew contracted
again as her thoughts seemed to go
back, and gasping once more, Harry,
Harry" she gave another shudder, and
said, 'the baby-a snake II


1 could not see myself, but I know I
turned pale, all the blood seeming to
rush to my heart, for if there is any
thing of which am afraid it is snake,
even going SO far as to dislike eels, of
which there were plenty in the river,
close at hand.


don't know how We got there, but
the next thing remember is standing
at the hut window, with Mary holding
little Joe tight in her arms, and me
looking through at the cradle where our
little thing of nine months old was
lying; and my heart seemed to be
turning to ice as saw nestled in the
foot of the cradle, partly hidden in the
blanket, but with some of its horrible
coils in full sight, and its head resting
upon them, the largest snake l had
seen since had been in the country.
The feeling was something awful, and l
stood there for few moments leaning
upon the round handle of the hoe had
caught up not able to move, for my
eyes were fixed upon the head Of that
hideous beast, and 1 expected every
moment that the baby would wake and
make some movement sufficient to irri-
tate the snake, and then felt that the
little thing must die.


What should l do? 1 asked myself
as the horrible feeling of helplessness
were off If crept in and reached the
cradle side unheard, / dared not chop
at the beast for fear of injuring the
child, for 1 could see that some of the
folds lay right across it. l dared not
make a noise, less the next moment the
child should wake as well as the rep
tile, for 1 knew the rapidity with which
the reptiles could wreathe fold after
fold around the object they attacked !;
while if of poisonous nature, they
strike in an instant. Thoughts came
swiftly enough, but they were unavail-
ing, for to wait till the baby woke, or
to 90 in and attack the snake, seemed
equally dangerous. Even if l made a
slight noise the danger seemed as great,
since, though the snake might wake
first and glide off, the probabilities
we're lust as great that the child might
wake at the same time.


And SO I turned over the chances
again and again, my eyes all the while
fixed upon the two sleeping occupants
of the cradle, whose pleasant warmth
had evidently attracted the reptile.


81 went in and saw it there" whis-
pered my wife, and, then, without
taking nv ewes for an instant from the
snake, 1 whispered the one word "Gun,
and she glided from my side.


I did not know then, but she told me
afterwards, how she had carried the
little bow to q distance and given him
some flowers to play with, while she
crept back to the hut, and reaching In
at the kitchen window, brought me my
GUN, for 1 had not stirred. And now,
as 1 grasped the piece in my hand,
knowing as did that it was loaded, it
seemed of no use, for dare not fire !;
but with trembling hands, 1 felt in my
pockets to see if there was a bullet In
them. and then softly pulling out the
ramrod, 1 unscrewed the cover OF the
worm. drew the wadding, reversed the
piece and let the shot fall pattering out,
when / softly forced down the bullet
upon the powder, examined the cap and
stood ready waiting for a chance; for L
thought that the shot might have scat
tered, and if ever SO little might nave
iniured the child instead of its enemy.


And there We stood for quite hall an
hour, watching intently that horrible
-, o,,,,IataIv nestled in the blanket