The Yankee Champion — page 52: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

dE Lae Doc oat 4 t. . @ ~ a af nl ‘ > < - - % fs ; i 4," ‘es nie Ae x * 2 = 7 ’ f ay ate sh , At >, we i +. ~~ + P - : ae : % ‘ ' (a “> See ke" ; ; ’ ? « - £. ie ~ : . ; THE YANKEE CHAMPION. eee oy tranquil resignation, as though even the very atmos- phere about her were a heaven of calm thought in which she dwelt. The young man gazed in rapt admiration upon the scene, and he had half inclined his body to step for- ward, when his eyes fell upon a thing that sent the blood leaping back to his heart. Just at the edge of the mossy bank, and not more than half a yard from where rested the tiny foot, lay a huge rattlesnake, which had evidently crawled up there. The deadly reptile was stretched along upon the ground like a bending stick, and his burning eyes were fixed upon the face of the girl. Ina moment more the warb- line maiden moved her hand out, and. picked up a piece of evergreen. There was a quick, shrill rattle. She started and listened for an instant, but the rat- tle ceased, and she went on with her work. Perhaps she thought ’twas a locust, and yet ‘twas strange she did not see it. The snake had gathered himself into a compact fold, and its head was raised and thrown back. Walter would have sprung forward, but he dared not, for should the serpent be startled he might strike his fangs into the flesh of the girl ere a step could be taken to arrest him. Higher and still higher, and farther back, moved the head of the snake, and the fanged jaw raised. Walter knew that he was preparing to strike his never-failing blow, and an agony, such as he had never known before, pierced his soul. The fairy weaver had al- most wove in the vine she had last plucked, and she would soon reach out her hand for another. Wal- ter dared not even cry out to warn the girl of her danger, for he knew that the reptile would not now unfold himself without striking. cbooks.co ll com