. Wit bought, or, A New York boy's adventures when the empire state was young . came up with him justas he was seeking shelter in the crevice of arock. He had buried about two feet of hislength, when Bill seized his tail, and, holdingit fast, prevented his farther progress. Wethen both of us took hold and tried to pullhim out, but as he had coiled himself aroundthe protuberances of the rock within, he re-sisted all our efforts. Bill now directed me to bend down tohim a pretty stout walnut sapling that wasgrowing near. I complied with the com-mand, and my companion, taking a piece ofcord from h
. Wit bought, or, A New York boy's adventures when the empire state was young . came up with him justas he was seeking shelter in the crevice of arock. He had buried about two feet of hislength, when Bill seized his tail, and, holdingit fast, prevented his farther progress. Wethen both of us took hold and tried to pullhim out, but as he had coiled himself aroundthe protuberances of the rock within, he re-sisted all our efforts. Bill now directed me to bend down tohim a pretty stout walnut sapling that wasgrowing near. I complied with the com-mand, and my companion, taking a piece ofcord from his pocket, doubled the tail of thesnake, and firmly lashed it to the top of theyoung tree. This being done—Let go,said Bill, and see which will hold on So, loosing our hold of the tree THE SNAKE. 45 and of the snake, we stood by to see the snake was so firmly tied as to render itimpossible for him to escape, and the sap-ling pulled with a vigour and patience thatwere likely to prevail at last. We waited atthe place for nearly an hour, when the ser-. pent slowly yielded, and the sapling jerkedhim into the air. There he hung, danglingand writhing, and thrusting out his tongue,but all to no purpose. Taking a fair aimwith the gun, Bill now fired, and cut thepoor reptile in twain. 46 WIT BOUGHT. Such, or similar., no doubt, have been theadventures of many a Yankee youth record them here, partly for the pleasureof reviewing the past, and partly to pointthe moral of this chapter—that youth is aportion of life to which, in after years, weusually look back \vith fond regard, as thehappiest, if not the most useful, part of ourexistence. Let my youthful friends mark the obser-vation, and not be unmindful of their presentprivileges. Let them enjoy their youngdays, with thankfulness and moderation,and not be too sanguine of that future, whichwill disclose the truth that life is a journey,beset with the cares and toils and dangersof travel, without a res
Size: 2010px × 1243px
Photo credit: © Reading Room 2020 / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookidwitboughtorn, bookyear1887
