66 SUMMER IN A BOG. 



fallen tree which I thought would be nice to 

 clamber on as I used to do in childhood. Sud- 

 denly I was stopped by seeing a peculiar shin- 

 ing light at some distance in front of me. I 

 gazed at it in fascination, speculating as to what 

 it migbt be. Was it the reflection of the sun in 

 a drop of dew, making that brilliant diamond 

 light? Was it the eye of a serpent, unblink- 

 ingly drawing me to destruction? Then it came 

 to my remembrance that I had been warned to 

 avoid that very piece of woods on account of 

 the rattlesnakes, copperheads, and other deadly 

 serpents which were reputed to be found in it. 

 And only the day before I had killed a young 

 adder on the road near by. Then I fled. I can 

 never forget the terror I experienced. And 

 whether it was from imagination or some nat- 

 ural enemy I can not say. I only know that the 

 fear was real enough. Now I think I have given 

 you a full account of all my snake experiences." 



"But that was long ago. Surely you must 

 see tbem in your trips for flowers; you go a 

 great deal, and into all kinds of places." 



"One experience, bordering on psycholog- 

 ical, I can relate. Last summer an impression 

 came to me that a snake was on our premises. 

 It was not merely an imagination, because it 

 would not be dismissed as the figments of the 

 brain may be, Besides, there is so much shrub- 



