Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 182?-183?, 1832-09-07

OF fascination asrmly as l believe in my
own existence.
"Surly," said "you do not believe
that they hare liver ever human be-
ings !"
81 do knE it TO be so w-and
the old man trebled as he spoke
you are str,ger to me-" he said
slowly, after scitinizing my features
Tor moment, "H if you will go down
with me to the ut Of this rock, in the
shade there,"-,d he pointed to a
group of leaning AXIS that hung over
the deelivity,-"lwill tell you sad
and strange stOrpf my own expert
ence.'
1t nay be suppqd that readily as
sentel to this pr sal. Besto wing one
more blow on the ittlesnake, as tito be
certain Of his dealt the old man de-
scendei the rocks 18th rapidity which
would have endaltered the neck of a
less prictised hunr. After reaching
the pIae which he lad pointed out, the
Rattleslake Huntecommenced his sto-
ry in a hammer with confirmed what
had PREVIOUSLY h&d Of his education
and intellectual stregth.
Il wa among tn earliest settlers of
this partof the cohtry. l had Just
finished ny educatih at the Universi-
ty of Hazard, when was induced, by
the hattelng representations ofsomc of
the earle pioneers ito the wild lands
hey ond te Connectht, to seelS my
fortune II the new ettiemen,s. My
vile tie old man'seye gIistened an
instant, nd then tear crossed his
/ brown chell-"my Nfe ACCOMPANIED
me, youb 4 and deicatland beautiful as
she was 70 this wild all rude country.
shall eyer forgive Myself for bring
/ ing her hither-neverl Young man,
he CONT ued, you loci like one who
could ply me. You sill see the i'm
/ age Of tie girl who foll@ed me to the
new coutry-" And hlunbound, as he
spoke, aribbon from hi neck, with a
small mliature attachedto it. 1t was
that of a beautiful femae. She might
have bed twenty year of age,-but
there was On almost chEiish express
ion in hel countenance- "a saitnesS, a
sweetness, I'D delicacy dsmiIe, which
/ have sci pm seen in be features of
those who ave tasted, ever slightly, Of
the bitter waters of eAi4nce. The
old man wal hed my counenance in
tently, as surveyed the mage of his
early love. tShe must hav been very
beautiful" aid /, as l rturned the
picture.
Beautifully he repeated ''you may
well say so. But this avail, nothing.-
l have fearful story to tai would to
God I had nd attempted i, hut | will
go on. My ieart has beer .tretched
too often on tle rack of memuy TO suf-
fer any new ping.
I'VE had resided in the lew coun-
try nearly year. Our settlements had
increased rapidly, and the confrts and
delicacies of life were begiuiilg TO be
felt, after the weary privatimsand Sc
we're trials to which we had ben sub
jccted The red men were (ey,nd fee
bic, and did MT modest us. III, beasts
of the forest ard the mountain we're fe-
rocious, but. suffered little FIN them.
The only Immediate danger (Which
we were exposed, resulted fem the
Rattiesnakes which infested oui1eipb-
borhood. Three or four of ouhatfiers
were bitten by them, and died III terri
bic agonies. The Indians oftenbld rs
frightlul stories of this snake, id AL
tnousn they were generally eliev-
ed, yet for myself, confess, | wdrath-
q aln u, lhan convinced by their
'In one of my hunting excursibs a.
broad, on fine morning-it was bst 81
this time of yeal--I was accom5nied
by my wife. Twas a beautiful horn
ing. The sunshine was warm, bt the
atmosphere was perfectly clear Ind >
fine breeze from the northwest IooL
the bright, green leaves which cIlbeJ
TO prolusion the wreathing brancbs a.
bove US. had left my companiol for
a short time, in pursuit. of game and in
climbing ruggec ledge ofrocks, Her
spersed with Shrubs and dwarfisb ices
! was startled by aquick grating rattb@
/ looked forward. On the EDGE f a
loosened rock, layia large Rattlesnke
coiling himself 8 if for the dealt
spring He was within few feet of
me and pausedor an instant to or.
vey him. / know hotwhy, but st,od
still, and looked 3the deadly serp,nt
with a strange feehg Of curiosity. S,a-
denly he unwoun. his coil, as if relen
ing from his purose Of hostility ahl
raising his head, le fixed his brigh
fiery eye, directly ppon my own.
chilling and Undesirable sensation, To