THE MUSICAL SNAKE ECLIPSED.

Wairarapa Daily Times, Volume VIII, Issue 2379, 21 August 1886, Page 2 (Supplement)

THE MUSICAL SNAKE ECLIPSED.

• You remember the musical snake I told you about lost ye&rl Well, I have a still more remarkable account to give you of another reptile I found a few days ago. I am passionately fond of musio and painting, and dovoto mucb of my spare time to the cultivation of these aits. I am no mean performer on the 'cello, andfeW artists in South Carolina can wield a brush rnoro deftly than I can. lam fond of painting landscapes, and I do most of my work out in the open air. A fow aftornoons ago I repaired to my favorhaunt—a most picturesque retreat—a few miles from my homo, carrying my paints, brushes, pallette, easel, and other paraphernalia, also my canvas, upon which a sublime landscape view wus out linod. I had devoted many days lo this picture, and it waa my intention to make it my chef d'envre. I worked long aud earnestly, exhausting my ingenuity and skill in depicting upon canvas the brilliant hues of the scene. I was anxious to paint truo to nature the gorgeous sunset—to make a faithful maniature of the exquisite picture hung in the western heavens. I had worked diligently for perhaps an hour, when, tired and drowsy, I abandoned my task and lolled lazily upon the greon sward. It was not long before I fell asleep. How long I continued in a somnolent state I know not. When I awoke I heard a rustling of the bushes to my left, and discerned an enormous serpent majestically drawing himself through the underbrush. He turned to look at me and halted. A glance was sufficient to enable me to discover that the intruder was no other than the musical snake. The recognition was mutual. I perceived instantly that the snakeship bad been dabbling his ponderous tail in my paints, whioh had been mixed on my pallette. I had no time to pursue the investigation, for the reptile glided off rapidly, and I was both mad and surprised. I was still madder when going to my eaßol I found it overturned and my canvas lying upon the ground. I could instantly see that my beautiful picture was daubed all ovor with paint, I hastily placed ic in position upon the easel, Amazement all I Whit did I see! Why a picture the exact counterpart of nature's handiwork, whioh I had been laboring so hard to imitate. I there saw the gorsjeous sunset reproduced with Turnerian brilliancy and fidelity. Every line and hue was perfect, The linea blended with exquisite taste. I could scarcely believe my eyes, but here was the picture before .me. Tho snake had approached my retreat and finding me asleep, conceived the idea of finishing the picture himself. Using liis tail as a briißh, lio usedit with all the skill and taste of a master artist, All who have seen the painting declare it to bo the greatest work they have ever beheld. But few of the spec tators can be induced to believe my narrative, which is as true as gospel. There is no mistake about it, I can swear to the exact facta I have stated.—Correspondent of an American Paper.,