SNAKES!

Star (Christchurch), Issue 4774, 14 October 1893, Page 2

SNAKES!

A hot wind had been blowing all day, a tantalising hot wind, in which treeß and shrubs were swaying about, and looked as if there must be a cool breeze ; but if yon put your head outside, your eara tingled, and the hot air smote your oheeks like a breath from an oven. The poor little birds even panted with their beaks open and everything was drooping-— out in the orchards the fruit on the trees was literally baked. Any one coming along the unfre* quented by-paths might have seen here and there a snake lying coiled upon the grass -trees; theße and all the insect tribe of pests seemed the only things that were not completely prostrated by the heat. The sun shining through the smoke of surrounding fires had given out a red brick-coloured light that was weird and depressing. But now the stifling day had . given place to the equally stifling night, when things seemed too hot to cool down before the blazing sun was roasting them again. The bunga-low-looking house near the little bush township had all its doors and windows shut, for though it was hot inside it was hotter still out of doors. The. drawing room was a pleasant room, with three French windows, the floor was covered with matting, and most of the chairs were cane or wicker. The certains were of art muslin, and flowers scented the room. There were some pretty water-colours and photos about the walls, and a lamp with a Bilk Bha.de gave a soft light. The piano Btood open, but Mrs Bogers, after trying over a few bars of a mazurka, felt too limp to play -any more. Mrs Connel waß exhaußtedly fanning herself, aud looking flushed and even prettier than usual; the doctor was lounging in a wicker deckchair, with legs out before him, trying to read a yellow-backed novel and smoking, a proceeding which Was permitted by his wife, especially after being informed that if she objected she had always the option of going into another room! Each one grumbled at the heat, though all were thankful that night had set in and that the two babies were safely tucked away. " What a good thing you came yesterday, as it would have been impossible to drive through this heat," said Mrs Bogers. "I have been so lonely, I am so pleased to have you here." " And it is a great pleasure for me too, dear," replied Mrs Connel. "Nothing can be much of a pleasure in this heat," growled Tom Bogers. "It is a pity we can't take off our skins and sit in our bonce." "I had such a vile dream last night," said Mrs Bogerst " I 'was walking along a track, and could hardly step for snakes ; they were white, and black, and brown and red, like huge earthworms, and long and short, and— ugh {it makes.me shiver now to think of that dream." "Nightmare. Too muoh supper, Mra E." remarked the Doctor. ' "Now, Tom, you know I do not take any; but we'll have some to-night, we could not eat all day. I have made some soda-water in tbeeeltzogene and there is a little claret left I think, unless you have finished it." . " Yes, get us something to drink, for goodness' sake," said the doctor. Mrs Bogers withdrew and presently returned with a tray, on which was some cold fowl and a salad and some claret and soda. The Bupper was reviving and the ladi6B began to talk again. "When you have been a little longer in the Colony, Maria, you will know that on a hot day it is better to get up at 4 a.m. and water the house and verandahs and then shut up all the doors and windows before the sun gets up," said Mrs Connel. •♦Well," answered' the doctor, "after one has been tossing all night, restless and sleepless from the heat, one just begins to drop off to sleep at that hour, and it would take a good deal to make me get up and water the house." " Still, you'd find it worth while," said Mrs Connel. ' , "But," said Mrs Bogers, "I should almost begrudge the water for such frivolous purposes at this time of the year, after my experience of last summer." "I forget to what you are alluding," said Mrs Connel. " Last summer, on a washing day, just in the middle of the wash, in came the woman and told me that the tank was empty. You know that underground tank is a large one, and the two others were empty before, so we were in a pretty plight. Tom got some water carted up in barrels from the river, but it was green." " Well, it was the best to be got," said Tom. " I know it was," said Mrs Bogers, " but only by dint of boiling and filtering it we managed not to get poisoned. As for washing and baths, we had to be so very economical that ever since I have had a dread of running short of water again." "That was the day I killed a snake on the verandah," said the doctor. " I suppose they get thirsty and come about more when water is. scarce." " I believe they do," said Mrs ConneL "Anyhow, they are most numerous at the driest season of the year." " Sarah was telling me yesterday of a man who, Borne years ago, before we were here, was working at a fence at Thompson's. He felt something on his arm, and drew it up and found a snake hanging from his wrist, his brother rode oS for the doctor; and they kept him walking up and down the yard all night to keep him awake, relieving the monotony by an occasional cut from the Btockwhip. He drank a lot of brandy which bad no effect on him, and he eventually recovered." . ' "Ah," said the Doctor, "When old Mra Murphy, who keeps the public-house at Tarwin, was bitten by a snake, she also recovered, but the snake didn't, it died of alcoholic poisoning." "You mean that dreadful old party who smokeß a clay pipe,' and often gets Borewed P " "Screwed ! Mrs Connel ? " " Well, tight." "That's still worse, inebriated, I suppose you mean." •• Oh, don't bother, it's too hot." "Yes, that in the lady I referred to." " I knowamuch worse story than your*o," said Mrs Connel. " A poor man was going to bed : I don't know if he waa a widower, but I fancy He was, as there .was no wife in the tale, but his two little children Blepfc with him in a big bed. By some means he became aware that there waa a snake? inside the bed, I don't know how— i," ♦' Your story is somewhat vague ; perhaps he saw the tail sticking out at the foot of the bed." " Well, perhaps he did. Anyhow, he knew it was there, and he went and got the axe and chopped right through the clothes and all, and killed the snake." "That is certainly a blood-curdling tale." i "You see, he might have missed the snake, not knowing its exact position." "Or he might have chopped off the children's feet!" " Did you read of that terrible affair at Middleton P" said Mrs Bogers. " A woman was washing and hanging out the clothes." " When down came a blackbird and picked off her nose." "Be quiet, Tom. Her little son, about two, was playing on the grass near; he had a little tomahawk in his hand, when a snake stood up beside bim. He struck at it, and the snake bit him ; he struck again and again was bitten. This went on for several seconds, when he began to cry, and his mother running up4o him found out

i what had happened. They took him off at once to the doctor, but he died before he got there. I think it was so dreadful." " Yes, it is Tory sad, bat see, it is nearly eleven, and I am going to bed, so you two ladles must finish your talk to-morrow.*' "Ob*, Tom, do wait a Hfctle longer, t don't want to go yet." " Why, a little while ago you were bo tired." "Yea; but just at bedtime I always feel inclined to talk— don't you, Mrs Connel ?" "Yes; I do/ " Bat I want to go to bed." "Well, go to bed, and leave na in peace." "Now, Maria, I am going to turn out the lamp, and you ladies can Bit in the dark if you like, and talk." So saying, out went ! the lamp. "Oh, you wretch," exclaimed both the ladies. " We'll pay you out for this." But Dr Bogere, chuckling, wished Mra Connel pleasant dreams and, went off to his room. Mrs Bogers said, "I'll come to yow room dear and stay as long as 1 choose, Nasty thing, what can we do to him P" ■ When the door was shut and the chatter* ing commenced again, they plotted to put something into the unfortunate man's bed next night, which he should believe to be a Bnake. Accordingly next day they pro* cured a very long-stalked arum lily, and* having dipped it into water, put it at the foot of Dr Bogers' bed. In the evening they again chattered away, and again were left sitting in darkness, but they retreated to Mrs Connel's room and awaited impatiently for events; "Now then, Maria, hurry up. Don't Btop talking all night. « * * Jumping Moses! there's a snake in the bed." Then followed a sound of bare feet descending precipitately to the floor, bedclothes dragged off, and behold— the arum lily; shrieks of laughter from the next room, and a savage thud against the wall, being the expulsion of the poor lily. The lamp waa not turned out again, and months afterwards', whilst dusting and turning out the room, Mrs Bogers came upon the withered stalk of an arum lily which had fallen on top of the wardrobe.