AN EXCITING GAME OF WHIST

Patea Mail, Volume VIII, Issue 1016, 2 April 1883, Page 3

AN EXCITING GAME OF WHIST

Thia:article is reprinted from Tit-Bits , in which it gained a guinea prize. _ - I. I '--We liacbbeea playing all the evening at whist.' The stake had been gold mobur points, and 20 on the rubber. . Maxey, who is always lucky, had won five,consecutive bumpers, which. . .lent a selfsatisfied smile to his countenance, and .made us, the losers, look anything but pleased, when he suddenly.; changed, countenance, and hesitated to play. This the more surprised us, since he was one who seldom pondered, being so completely master of the game that he deemed long consideration superfluous. .. V ! “ Play, away, ? Maxey, what are you about ?” impatiently demanded Churchill,: one of tha most youths that ever wore the uniform'of ihe bodyguard. ; ‘fHnsh!” responded Maxey, in atone .which- thrilled through ns, at- the same turning deadly pale. ( Pf “ Are you unwell ?” said another; about ’ to start up, for he believed our friend had suddenly, taken ill. , .. . • ! ‘ “ For the love of God, sit,quiet I” re-: .joined, the; other, in a tone’denoting ex- : treme pain, and he laid jdp,wn .his cards. - “ If yoo.valuemy life, movemot.” = : What cam.he .mean ?—has he; taken leave of his senses ?” demanded Churchill, appealing to myself. Don’t start—don’t move, I tell yenj” in a sort of whisper, which- I can never forget, uttered Maxey. “If you make any-sudden motion I am a dead man !” ’ We exchanged looks. He continued—- “ Remain quiet, and all may yet be •well. - I-haye a cobra capella round my leg.”' -¥ “* " ' '-‘i: i Our first .impulse was to draw back our chairs; but an appealing look from the victim induced us to remain, although we were aware that should the reptile transfer but one fold, and attach itself to any other of the party, that individual might already be counted as a dead man, so, fatal is the bite of that dreaded monster. J ~ u, Poor Mtaxey was dressed as many old breeches'and slk stockings ; he, therefore,; the more plainly felt every movement of The. snake. His countenance assumed a' livid hue : the words seemed to leave his mouth without that.feature altering its; position, ao rigid.,was his. look, and so; fearful was "he lest the slightest mhscular ~mb\’ement, should iallrni; the 'serpeht’ahd hasten the fatal bite. We were in agony, little less than his :own during the scene. ' “ Ho is coiling -round I” murrnered Maxey ; “I feel him cold—cold to my limb : and now he tightens 1 For the Jove of Heaven call for some milk! I dare not speak loud. Let it be placed,on the ground near me ; let some be spilt on the floor.” . . i, V ’ i Churchill cautiously gave the order, and a servant slipped out .of theu’oom. ; ( Don’t . stir, Northcote—you moved your head ; by evertbiug sacred, I Conjure you not to do so again ! It cannot belong ere my fate is decided. I have a wife 1 and two children in Europe ; tell them that I died blessing them—that, my last prayers were for them—the snake is winding itself around my calf—l leave them all I possess—! can almost fancy I feel his breath!” , . .. The milk was brought and carefully put down ; a few drops were sprinkled on the floor, and the affrighted servants drew hack. Again Maxey spoke : “ No, no ! it has no effect. On the contrary, he has clasped himself tighter—he has uncurled his upper fold. I dare not look down, but I am sure he is about to draw hack, and give the bite of death with more fatal precision. Receive me, O Lord, and pardon mo ; my last hour is come !” Again he pauses. “ I die firm ; buUhis is 'past’ epdurapce.® Ah Lno, he

has undone another fold, and-loosens himself. Can he be going to someone else?” We involuntarily started. For the love of Heaven, stir not! Frn a dead man ; but bear with mo. He still loosens ; he is about to dart ; Move not, but beware ! Oh, this agony is too hard to bear! Another pressure, and lam dead. No, he relaxes ! he relaxes !”

At that moment poor Maxey ventured to look down. The snake had unwound himself ; the last coil had fallen, and the reptile was making for the milk. "I am saved! saved!” and Maxey bounded from the chair, and fell senseless into the arms of one of his servants. In another instant, need it be added, we were all dispersed ; the snake was killed, and our friend carried more dead than alive to his room.