The Middlebury people's press. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1841-1843, 1843-04-12
FRIGHTFUL SNAKE STORY.

The following incident was related to us
the other day, by one whose veracity is un-
questioned, and who was almost an eye
witness to the fact. Il is more appalling
than any we recollect to have ever read in
the history of these terrible reptiles.
Sometime last summer the inhabitants
of Manchester, Miss, gave barbecue,
which was attended by the beauty and fash
ion of the town and the surrounding coun-
try. 1t happened that among the guests
there was young lady, Miss NJ recently
from one Of the eastern cities, who was on
visit to her relations in the neighborhood
ofthe town. Miss NJ. was gay and excee-
dinghy fashionable young lady, and withal
possessed of an uncommon share of spirit
and courage, except in the matter of snakes
and of these she had so great dread, that
she scarcely dared to walk any where ex-
cept in the most frequented places, for fear
of encountering them. Every effort was
used, but without avail, to rid her of her
fears. They haunted her continually, until
at last it became the settled conviction of
her mindt hat she was destined to fall VIC
tim TO the fangs of a rattle-snake The
sequel will soon show her terrible PRESENT.
ment was fulfilled
Towards the close Of the day while scores
of fairy feet were keeping time in the dance
to the merry music, and the whole compa-
ny were in the full tide of enjoyment, a
scream was heard from Miss NJ, followed
by the most agonizing cries for help. The
crowd gathered around her instantly, the
perfect image of despair, with her hands
grasping portion of her dress with the ten
acity of vice. 1t was some time before
she could be rendered sufficiently calm to
tell the cause of her alarm, and then they
gathered from her broken EXPLANATIONS,
that she holding the head Of snake IN the
folds ofher dress and dreaded to let 90 her
hold for fear of receiving the fatal blow
This intelligence caused many to shrink
from her but most ofthe ladies, to their honor
be 1t spoken, remained with her, determin-
ed not to leave her in the direful extremity
They besought her not to relax her hold as
her safety depended on it, until some one
could be found who had courage to seize
and remove the animal. There were none
of the ladies, however, who had courage to
perform the act, and the condition OF Miss
M. was becoming more and more critical
every moment 1t was evident that her
strength was failing very fast, and that she
could net maintain her hold much longer |
A hasty consultation among the calmest
of the ladies was held, when it was deter
mined that DR.. Tisan, who was present, |
should be called to their assistance. Hell
was quickly on the spot, and being a man
OF uncommon Courage, he was not many
minutes with the weeping and halffainting
females, until he caught the tail of the snake,
and wound it firmly round his hand to make
sure of his hold He then told Miss NJ.
that she must let 90 the moment he jerked
it away, and to make the act as instantane-
Gus as possible, he told her he would pro-
nounce the words one, two, three, and that,
at the moment he pronounced the last word,
she must let go her hold, and he doubted
not he could withdraw the snake before it
could make the strike. All stood in breath
less horror, awaiting the act of life and
death, and at the moment the word three
was pronounced, the Doctor pulled out the
most diabolical looking BusTLE that ever
was seen in Mississippi! The whole affair
was at once explained. The fastenings Of
the machine had become loose during the
dancing, and it had shifted its position in
such way that it Induced the belief that
it was snake with an enormous head.
The Doctor fell right down in his tracks
and tainted.