Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1836-04-08
CHARM OF A RATTLE SNAKE,
An extract from 'Yemassee,' Romance
Ofsoulh, ,Carolina, by the author Of Guy
Rivers, &c.

she murmured, as she stood contemplating
the thick copse spreading before her, and
forming the barrier which terminated the
beautiful range of oaks which constituted
the grove. How beautiful was the green
and garniture ofthat little copse Of wood.
The leaves cthick and the grass around
lay folded over and over in punches, with
here and there a wild flower cleaning
from its green and making OF il u beauu
f'Il carpet of the richest and most various
texture. A small tree rose /! om the cen
ire Of clumP around which wild grape
gadded luxurianlly; and with an incober
ent sease of what she saw, she fingered
before the little cluster, seeming 10 survey
that which she had no thought for al the
moment. Things grew ind;siinet to her
wandering eye; the thought wa, TUNED
inward; aud the muslng spirit denying the
governing sense to the external spirits and
conductors, they failed duly to appreciate
the forms that aoaed and glided before
them. Ia this way, the leaf detached
made no impression upon the sight that
was bent upon Il; she saw nol the bird
though 1t Vhirled, untroubed by a fear, in
wantOn circles around her head and the
blacksnake, with the rapidity ofan arrow,
darted over, the path without arousing
single terror in the form that Otherwise
would have shivered but at its appearance.
And yet, though thus indstinc, were all
things around her TO The musing mind of
the maiden, her aye was singuIarIy i'm
pressed with one object, peering out at IN
Iervals from the lIuIe bush beneath it.
She saw, or thought she saw, at moments
through The bright green Of the leaves II
star like glance, small raw. subtle, sharp
beautiful: an eve the leaf itself ,larling
the most searching looks into her own.
Now The leaves shook md the vines waved
eIaslcallY and in beautiful forms before
her, but the star like eye was there, bright
and gorgeous, and still glancing upon her
own. How beautiful, how strnng.,, dil it
appear to the maiden. She watched it
still with dreaming sense, but wuh ii
spirit strangely attracted by lis heaur\ -
with feeling ia which awe and nJmrpa.
tion were equally comminged, sh3 Cou i
have bent forward 10 pack the gemike
thing from the bosom Of the Iea III which
1t seemed to grow, and from which ii
CLEANED so brilliantly; but once, as she
approached, she hearda shriI scream rom
the tree above her; such Team as the
knocking bird makes, when angriy, 1t raj
SEES lis dusky crest, and aaps its wings a.
eainsl lis slender sides, Such 1t scream
seemed like warning, aud Trough yet
unawaked TO full CONSCIOUSNESS, il repell
ed her approach. More than once in her
survey Of this strange object had she heard
that sArill note, and still had il carried to
her ear tae same Aote Of warning, and to
her mind the same vague consciousness Of
ar evil presence. But the star light eyes
were yet upon her own; a small, bright
eye, quick iIke that of "a bird, ROW darling
forward with all the clustering leaves a
bout At, and shooting up towards her, as II
wooing her to seiZe. Al another homent
lVeted TO tho vine which lay around it, it
wouM whirl round and round, duzz ingy
bright and beautiful, az torctt waving
hurriedIy by night 10 The bands of some
playful boy; bu in all tn time The glance
was never taken from her own; there it
grew, fixed; a very principle OI light; sub
tic, burning, Pisrcing, fascinating hight,
such as gathers in vapour above tho old
grave, aud binds US as we Iouk shooting
darting, directly into her own, dazzling
her gaze, defeating its sense oil dI,crIlniua
t"n, aud confusing most strangely tha,
Vi perception. .--.
She felt dizzy, for as she looked clopd
ofcolouIs, bright, gay, various cOlors, Aoa
ted around the singl gle object that had SO Sc
cured her attention and spell bou.d her
feet, Her limbs Ie't momontly more and
more insecure; her bloVt grew cold, aud
sho began 10 leGl gradual freeze of vein
Gy. vein, throughout her person. AT hat
moment ruslling was heard n he branch
es Of The tree beside her, aud tie bird,
which had repeatedly uttered a single cry
as il were Of warning, above her, flew
away from his station with q scream more
piercing than ever. This movement had
the effect, for which it seemed really inteU
ded, Of bringing back to her a portion Of
the consciousness she seemed SO totally to
have been deprived Of before She strove
10 move from before the beautiful but ter.
rible presence, but for while strove in
vain. The rich star like glance still rv
cited her own, and the subtle fascination
still kept her bound. The mental ener
ges, however with the moment of their
greatest trial, now gathered suddenly to
her MD, and with a desperate effort, bu,
with n feeling, sIll Of most annoying un.
certainly and dread, she succeeded par.
italy IN tho attempt, and leaned backward
against a neIght oriug Tree, feeble totter.
inc and demanding uDon il for that sun