Richmond Indiana palladium. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1837-1839, 1837-07-15
A SERPENT-TONGUED INFANT.
Trve,1o~ m \ NJ 1Q9


vious to my departure for Rock Island. Quit
E Unexpectedly, day before yesterday found nyse
, in the very neghborhood Of this strange and way
ward production Of nature. My curiosity, as yo
may well suppose, was greatly excited, and con
Tess felt an intense anxiety to examine for myse
. IN object which began to excite so much nteres
, in the neighborhood Of its occurrence. MI. T.
a worthy old gentleman in the vicinity, formc
acquaintance Of mine, with whom | accidental,
, met, kindly offered to accompany me to Mr.. WIS
the father Of the unfortunate child. We rcache,
|, there aboutO O'Clock this morning, and were re
!; ceived very courteously by Mr.. W. and his in
tercsting young wife. After an agreeable intro
ductio0, my aged friend stated the object of ou
visit, and the desire had manifested to see thci
unfortunate little child of whom had Just heard
Mr.. W. informed that for several weeks he
had, in almost every instance, declined admitting
strangers, AZ he thought their presence had an
uDfavorable effect upon the child, but as l had
come considerable distance out ofniy way, he was
disposed to crafty my wsh, the more especially as
he thought might give him somc advice in rea-
ton TO the course he ought. in future, to pursue.
We were then invited into an adjoining room, in
one corner Of which we behold, tied in a small
low chair, most horrible emaciatcd little child,
apparently about 2years old. lam aware that
shall totally fail in giving you any thing like an
adequate idea Of the miserable object before us.
Imagine, if you can, an infant, mere child, Of
bout the age above supposed, reduced to a very
skeleton. hairless and covered with parchcd and
shrivclled skin, dark and unclastic the cores
ponding structure in the withered octogcnarian.
Its little red, fiery eyes, rolling rcstlessfy in the
deep rccesses Of its flashing sockets, sent forth
bo.rid flashes Of Indignation when the door of its
apartment was thrown Open
The little sufferer opened bis mouth, and in the
place Of its tongue, and for a tongue serpcnt's
head and neck were thrust out, vibrating and his
sing with an intensity peculiar to the more vcno-
varieties Of that rcPusivc species of animated
nature! lcould not, for several minutes, muster
sufficient courage to approach the object CT curi-
oeity. was fixed to tho spot which | at first
cupied, while the serpent-headcd tongue contin-
ucd to dart forth and rccedc with the quickness Of
thought; its little forked and fiery tongue at the
same time PLAYING about tho lips and , ngSsIs q
flash! Mr.. W, the father gradually approach
cd the child all the time speaking very soothingly
to it, and in a few minutes succeeded in producing
quiet-the head rcceded, the lips closed over it,
and the infant exhibited the aspect only of cx-
trcme emaciation. But the moment I moved to-
wards the child, oven but single step, the mouth
would open, the head suddenly dart forth; and the
same dreadful spectacle have already imperfect
" described, would be again presented. The
father, however, beckoned me to approach,
which did, but never shall forget the trench !
dOus Kissing which came from the scrpent-headcd
tongue OF the little sufferer 1t was several minutes
ioGro anic,,'lc could be produced, and even then
the slightest motion on my part would cause an
Protrusion Of the unsightly organ,
accompanied by Kissing sound more or less in |
tense according to the fears Of the child.
had several fair opportunities Of seeing the |
strange member, and will endcavor to give you
a description OF it. Its color is a dark copper,
shining, and in places nclinng to streaks of
green. Its eyes are Jet black, and when the
light strikes them favorably, diamonds ever
sent forth more brilliant scintillatons Of light!
L.:
lily has much the appearance of gold The
mouth Of this serpcni-hcadci tongue is quite
arge and wide, always slightly open when the
lead was protruded beyond the lips. Its little
orked tongue, as l have already said, was in
cssaniiy in motion. We stayed in the room
lst 30 minutes, during the latter part Of which
inc the child became very quiet, and took freely
{ milk its usual food. The father told me he had
nown the tongue to bite several times, and once
'hen it fastened upon one of his fingers, much
yelling and soreness followed indeed he was on
y relieved by copious bleeding. He informed
also, the child cat voraciously of milk, and
Dme timcs other kinds of food, but that prefer
ed the former. The child is of the female sex
[c stated further that several eminent physi- |
ians and surgeons had been to see the child. and
nd that it had been recommended by one, the en-
lent Dr. w., that the tongue be cxtirPated. l
,incided in this opinion, and advised that the d
r. lie called on to perform the operation. The Il
thcr. Mr.. W.. IS about 20 years Oid, ana 1
&c mother l should Judge, about %. She is very $
,autiful has been married about five years and C
lis is their first and only child. I have omitted t.
,mes in this hasty sketch at the request of the Ii
rites concerned. n
Meeting Of Indians at Wdshington-It is sta
d that the Chiefs Of the leading tribes Of the "
issour and Mississippi regions, have been invi- Q
to assemble at Washington. with a view of cs-
blishing among them something like pacific reg P
atoms. The main tribes Of the country arc the u
cat and warlikc ones of the Sacs and Foxes, and
e Sioux, with the less popuous bands OF the Il
innebagoes, loways, &c. Their Populations Il
III probably reach Washington about the first of c
ctober. The occasion will be an unusually in g
resting for all who are curious to the c:
anners, customs, languages, cloquencc, &c of T
csc rcmoter and less sophisticated nations Of 81
C aborigines. st
The Hon. W.P. MAxcuM. is a candidate from =
re Hilsborough District in N. Carolina. Mr.. sr
.angum was one Of the most fearless opponents J.
( executive usurpation, in the Senate, and we
ust tnat ne will be elected. Now is the time
experience and wisdom to sit in the national
unciis.-UPon whomscevcr the people call, the :: "a
II should be answered IN
re
Rice has married the ~c,r~ .~l l,,,.;t,, -