Year: 1873

legs, take care of the body, was
the next. Dropping his scythe
and springing around like a top,
be was ready to strike a 2;40 gait,


when at that moment the snake
was nearer enough to hook his croo-
ked teeth into Johns shirt just a.


bove the hem, With a tremen-
dous spring be started off With the
speed of locomotive. His first
jump took the snake clear from
the ground and as he estole hasty
glance over his shoulder, he was


horrifed to see the reptile securely
fastened to the extremity of his gar
ment while the rapidity with
which be rushed forward, kept the
serpent extended to an angle of
ninety degrees with bis body.


Here was a quandary. If he
stopped the snake would coil about
his body and squeeze him to death;
if he continued the race he must
fail from sheer exhaustion. On
he flew, scarce daring to think
how this dreadfulrace was to end.
Instinct;vely he had taken the d.
rection Of home; a feeling of Sc
curity came over him. Suddenly
flashed across his mind the true
state Of affairs his father gone,
the quilting, and worse tkan all,
the girls. The next moment he
felt the body OF the cold clammy
monst-r r in contact with bis bare
legs, his tail Gre teping around them
in a sort Of cozening way, as by
the way of tickling John upon tue
knees. This was too much for
human endurance. With Il yell,
such as man never uttered. save in
moral terror, poor John set for
ward at break neck speed, and
once more had the pleasurA cf
seeing the srake resume bis ori. .
zontal position. somewhat like he
tail Of a com t.


On they lewi john forgot tie :
quilting, forgot The girls. forgot /!
everything but the snake, !


His active exercise together with (,
the excessive heat, bad brought on
the nose, bleed, and as he ran, ears !
erect and head thrown back, lii,
chin, throat and shirt bosom were |
stained with the flowing stream. |


His first shrek had started the
quilters, ard forth they rushed,
wondering if some Indian was Lot
prowling about. BY this time
John was within a 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 concealed him
from the sight of the girls. He
knew the girls were in the yard:
having caught glimpse of them
as they rushed from the house. A
few more bounds and he would be
in their midst. For a moment,
modesty overcame fear, and he
halteds The snake, evidently
pleased with-his rapid transporta-
ton, manifested his gratitude by
attempting to enfold the legs Of
our hero within his embrace.


With an explosive Ouch! and
urged forward by circumstances
over Which he had no control,
poor John bounded on. The next
moment he was within full view
of the girls, and as he turned the
corner Of the barn the snake came
round with a whiz, somewhat after
the fashion OF a coach whip.


Having reached the barnyard,
to his dismay, he found the bars
up. But time was too precious to
be wasted in letting down bars
Gathering all his strength, be
bounded into the air, snake ditto;
and as be alighted on the other
side, his snaketail cracked across
the upper bars, swapping like an
India cracker.


Again John set forward, now
utterly regardless of the gills, for
the eXtia tickle from the snakes
tail as he leaped the bars, banished
all his bashfulness aud modesty,
and again he had the pleasure of
finding the snake in straight line
drawing steadily at the hem of
his solitary garment.


The house now became the Gen.
tre of attraction, and around it he
revolved with the speed of thought.
-Four times in each revolution as
be turned the corner, his SNAKE,
snip came round with a whiz that
was quite refreshing. -


- While describing the third cir
Gle, as he came near the group OF
wonder strucA girls, without re-
moving his gaze from the snake,
he managed to cryoul: 4,