Evening Republican, Volume 15, Number 258, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 1 November 1911 — Martie and the Snake [ARTICLE]

Martie and the Snake

There were not many happier, more sunshiny children than .Martie Rives, if she did wear patches, no# have half enough to eat, and was the child of a widow who had to go out washing to support her family. Her greatest enjoyment w«g taking walks down a graasy. road, back of her mother's hut until, she came into a cool. Inviting ,wood, keeping eyes and ears open--for everything she saw and beard. One early morning in June the first thing she saw was a spider’s web spun across the path and a poor little fly’s wings fast, so that It could not possibly get away. "Oh, you poor little thing," she said, and with a stick she broke the web so tbe fly could get away. Then she came upon a turtle lying upon his back. How long it would take him to turn over she had no idea, but she went to his assistance and quickly turned him on his feet, that be might travel on again. Then there was a butterfly fastened in a thorn hedge. How it was struggling to get away. With gentle hand Martie treed the bright little thing and let It fly away from the tip* of her fingers. -- As she entered the wood, rabbits and squireels frisked at her feet for .she was such a gentle little girl that they all loved bet and were not afraid, of her. On this day she threw a nut to the squirrels and then laughed to see them scampering up a tree with it. Then she took some crumos of bread opt of her pocket and scattered them around for the birds to pick up. "Were here! here! here!" criedi out a catbird, flitting down and picking up a crumb of bread. "You’re sweet! sweet! sweet!" said a red-breaster robin, as he cams after his share, though i feel sura he would have liked a nice fat angleworm much better. "You dear pretty creatures! I love you all so,” she gurgled as she sat down to watch them, until she heard a cry of distress. Some birds were screaming in terror. Springing up from her grassy seat she started off to find what was the trouble, when she saw something that rooted her to the spot, and seemed to freeze her blood within her veins. The biggest blacksnake she had ever seen in her life was wound trounp the branch of a tree, in w'hose fork rested a pretty nest m / which were four young robins. JUst above them were the old robins, circling around and around in the greatest distress. “Oh you poor dears!" was the first thibg little Martie could say when she came to ter senses, and then she sprang for a fence rail and began poking at the snake. The monster began waving, hi* tail and he turned his head around and ran his tongue out at her. Poor li.tle Martie felt almost frozen again, but she pounded the snake harder and harder, it let go of the tree and dropped tq the ground, and then Martie gave a piercing scream, for she thought her time had come; when a tall boy stood between her and the snake and was using the fence rail with all the strength in his power. “There! I’ve killed him. You are saved." said the .boy, turning a face toward her. “But the birds —are they safe?" she asked, looking up in the tree. * "Every one," said the boy. "I couldn’t bear to see fiat snake eat those pretty birds," said the little girl faintly. "I forgot all about myself." "Blessed are the merciful for they ••■hall obtain mercy," said the boy. as he skipped away.