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one suddenly, an indescribable fear seizes me for an 

 instant, and I instinctively jump back. Once, while at 

 home, I had, in a box in my room, some snakes which 

 were of the most harmless kinds, and so tame that I 

 could carry them about in my pockets. Often, while 

 sitting at my drawing, I would let them run about 

 the room, and, when the day's work was over, would 

 gather them up and deposit them in their box, much 

 as a lady, when she has finished sewing, picks up her 

 stray spools of thread. One day, after the snakes had 

 wriggled about on the carpet for some time, I put 

 them back as usual, and went out for a walk. I got 

 wet at the pond, and, coming home in the evening, 

 took off my shoes in the kitchen, and without a light 

 went barefooted upstairs, after dry clothing: just as 

 I entered my room, I stepped upon something that 

 thrilled me through and through, causing me to jump 

 three feet into the air before I had time to reason away 

 my fears. Then I felt about the floor, and found, to 

 my chagrin, that what I had taken for a snake was 

 nothing but a fold in the carpet. 



But to return to the big snake. I had my gun with 

 me, and thought at first I would shoot him in the head 

 with a light charge of dust shot, and carry home his 

 skin. Then I considered, that, if taken alive, he 

 would be worth five times as much. Feeling about in 

 my pockets and game-bag, I at last found a leather strap 

 with a buckle. I drew the strap through the buckle, 



