Litchfield enquirer., 1831-12-15

Melancholy Occurrence.-Most of our read CTS have doubtless seen the account published | in our paper of the 2d inst. of a Rattle Snake in the keeping of MT. John II. Bobbt, at Per 1 son Court House. During the last week the editor or this paper in company with several respectable gentlemen attending Person Su- perior Court, visited on Tuesday morning, the house occupied by Mr. B. for inc purpose of seeiug what was to us natural curiosity Mr.. Bobbit, willing 10 gratify us, took the reptile out ofthe cage with his hand and held it by the neck. On account of the approach of cold weather, it had almost arrived at it's torpid state and appeared quite docile, which by it's keeper was mistaken for tameness. Af- ter having been cautioned by one of the com pany of the danger to which he was exposing himself, we left him. In the evening, stand. ing not far from the shop of MT. B0b5it the editor was informed that the snake had bitten its keeper; in few minutes we went to Mr. B.'s shop, and found him in great agony; this was near sunset, before midnight Mr. E. was a corpse. ....
 We are indebted to kind friend wI,o was one of the attending physicians for the follow ing particulars of this melancholy affair.
 1.-The deceased was not bitten by the snake as was at first supposed, by those who were not present. he told our informant Cat the time when his mouth and tongue were so much swollen that he could scarcely articulatr. ! " that the snake did not do it intentionally" ." Those who were present say that Mr. B. had the snake out showing it to them, holding it in his left hand, rather loosely, that by an ef- fort of the snake to draw his head back, one of it's fangs came in contact with one of MT. B.'s fore fingers about half an inch below the upper joint; he dropped the snake but imme. diately picked it up, put it in the cage and commenced sucking the wound. A physi- clan was called in and saw the deceased in three minutes after the accident; his eyes were then red-his lips swollen and Quivering he said he should die, and was in the act of falling when he was assisted to bed. 'In ten minutes afterwards, every muscle in the sys- tenn appeared affected with twitching which ! continued until he died. Vomiting com menced in ten minutes after the accident and continued for an hour. No pulse was dis covered after thirty minutes from the time the occurrence took place. He appeared to be sensible ofall that was passing until about two hours before his death, at which time his breathing became more difficult, which con- tlnned to increase until he breathed his last. lie died in six and half hours from the time the poisonous fang entered his fesh-a mel anchOly instance of human folly.
 ] The deceased was native of Franklin County, by trade a tailor. about 28 years of age, without family, and was much respect ed by the community in which he lived. His last efforts at talking were spent in requesting those around him net to slight the advice of friends as he had done, to view the situation that he was then in, and never handle a snake.
 Milton N. c. Spec.
 Step- ep-Mothers.-TwO cotemporaneous incl dents of cruelty on the part of step-mothers and their unfeeIing husbands, are recorded in the Philadelphia and Albany papers. A fe- male of about twenty-twO years of age has applied to, and received assistance from, the authorities of the former city, who has been the child of misfortune from her infancy, though her father is represented as living tn atilHence. Her mother died when she was