The Argosy — page 243: what you’re looking at

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

226 About Snakes. ‘‘ Well, my dear,” he meekly replied, ‘‘ I did dream it, and I only hope it isn’t true.” The next night he dreamed the same dream, and in the morning there was a repetition of the same colloquy, Mr. F being more than ever convinced that they were harbouring an enemy, while his loving spouse declared that he must have been in a very peculiar condition to have dreamt the same ridiculous dream a second time. ‘ Well,” said he in bland tones, ‘‘I tell you what it is, my dear ; if I dream that dream again to-night, I'll have the mattress opened in the morning, and then we shall see who’s right and who’s wrong.” Agreed ! The next morning on waking up he shouted: ‘‘ My dear, I ave dreamt the same dream again, and if there’s not a snake in the bed i'll eat my head!” Both of them having partially dressed, the servants were called, the mattress taken off the bed and ripped open, and lo and behold! there in the midst was a cobra, snugly coiled up. How it had got there was easily explained. The mattress had been put out into the garden to air, and there being a small aperture in the side, the cobra had spied the hole, and thought he might as well make himself at home there as anywhere else. I need not add that he was speedily despatched. But what a triumph for the husband, and how crestfallen looked his gallant spouse ! He, however, good man, chucked her under the chin, saying good- humouredly: ‘‘ Now, my dear, I hope you'll believe me in future, and not accuse me of taking too much when I haven’t touched a drop of liquor ; however, we'll have a bottle of champagne to-night for dinner, and drink confusion to all the tribe of snakes.” The following incident is not without a touch of grim humour. Said my friend L—— to me one day: ‘‘Come and stay with us for two or three days at the Hill) —— and I will be very glad to see you, and the change will do you good.” ‘* By all means,” I replied; ‘I shall look forward to it with much pleasure.” ‘““Very well, then; come this evening. If you will call at my office about five o’clock I will drive you up.” So the arrangement being made, at five p.m. L—-—— drove me up in his buggy to the Hull. We reached the bungalow about six, and found G—-— standing at the entrance to welcome us. But his words betrayed unusual excitement. “IT am awfully glad, old fellow, that you have come,” he said, ‘‘ for we have had such an extraordinary scene this afternoon, and I am afraid that both Tip and Tim (two favourite terriers) are dying, if not dead.” Gomilcbooks'.co