Sunbury American and Shamokin journal. [volume] (Sunbury, Northumberland Co., Pa.) 1840-1848, 1843-07-08

watched my countenance inten,ly, as survey.
ed the image OF his early love. "She must
have been very beautiful" | said as returned
the picture. ...
"Beautifu!" he repeated, ''you may well
say so But this avails nothing. | have a
fearful story to tell would to God ] had not
attempted it; but will 60 on. My heart has
been stretched too often on the rack of memo
ry to suffer any new pang."
ave had resided in the new country nearly !
year. Our settlements had increa sed rapid |
| ly, and the comforts and deicacies of life were |
beginning to be felt, after the weary privations
and severe trials to which we had been SUBJ
jected. The red men were few and feeble, and |
did not modest us. The beast of the forest and
mountain were fcrocious, but we suffered little |
from them. The only immediate danger to
which we were exposed resulted from the rat
| tlesnakes which infested our neghborhood.
| Three or four of our settlers were bitten by
them, and died in terrible agonies. The In
dians often told us rightfu stories of this snake
and its powers of fascination, and although
they were generally believed yet for myself,
| confess, was rather amused than convinced
by their marvellous legends.
''Tn one of my bunting excursions abroad on
a fine morning--it was just at this time of the
year, was accompanied by my wife. Twas
beautiful morning. The sunshine was warm
but the atmosphere was perfectly clear; and
fine breeze from the northwest shook the
bright, green leaves which clothed to Profusion
the wreathing branches above us. | had
left my companion for a short time, in the pur-
suit of game and in climbing rugged ledge
of rocks, interspersed with shrubs and dwarfsh
looked forward. On the edge Of loosened
rock lay large rattlesnake, coiling himself as
iffor the deadly spring. He was within few
feet of me and paused for an instant to sur
vey him. know not why, but stood still,
and looked at the deadly serpent with strange
feeling of curiosity. Suddenly he unwound
his coil, as if relenting from his purpose of hos
tity, and raising his head, he fixed his bright
fiery eye directly upon my own. A chilling
and indescribable sensation, totally different
from any thing had ever before experienced,
, followed this movement of the serpent but
stood still, and gazed steadily and earnestly,
n for at that moment there was a visible change
in the reptile. His form seemed 10 grow larg-
4 er, and his colors brighter. His body moved
q with slow, almost imperceptib'c motion to-
wards me, and low hum of music came from
him or at least it sounded in my ear-a strange,
sweet melody faint as that which melts from
r the throat OF the hummpg- -brd.--Then the
d tints of his body deepened, and changed and
n glowed, like the changes of a beautiful kalled-
!. scope--green, purple and gold, until lost sight
S of the serpent entirely, and saw only wild and
curousy woven circles of strange colors qui.
l. vering around me, like an atmosphere of rain.
= bows. | seemed in the centre of great prism
"a world OF mysterious colors-and tints va
It ried and darkened and lighted up again around
me and the low music went on without ceas
n ing until my brain rceled and fear, for the
70 first time, came like shadow over me. The
l. new sensation gained upon me rapidly, and
h could feel the cold sweat gushing from my brow
}" had no certainty Of danger in my mnd-nC
10 ueHHltc iueds VI petll-uIi was NdSuc anu cIouu
N ed, like the unaccountabe terrors of dream
!" and yet my limbs shook, and fancied cOulC
ID feel the blood stifIening with cold as it passeC
W along my veins. would have given worlds t
is have been able to tear myself from the spot
a even attempted to do so, but the body obeye,
* not the impulse of the mind-not muscle stir
ne red; and stood still, as if my feet had grow
&c to the solid rock, with the internal music of th
er tempter in my ear, and the baletul color'ng
rd of his enchantmeni before me.N
Suddenly new sound came to my ear
lis was a human voice--but it seemed strange an
ny awful. Again-agan-but stirred not, an
by then white form plunged before me, an
he grasped my arm. The horrible spell was Q
nd once broken. The strange colors passed froI
wv before my vision. The rattlesnake was collin
ye at my very feet, with glowing eyes and nj
ed lifted iangs, and my wife was clnging in te
ne, ror upon me. The next instant the serpel
as, threw himself upon us. My wife was the vi
yer tim! The fatal fangs pierced deeply into h
er. hand, and her scream OF agony as she siagge
me cd backward from me, told me the dreadi
Of truth.
"" "Then il was that feeling ofmadness can
his upon me and when | saw the foul serpe
, stealing away from his work, reckless OF da
ere ger. sprang forward and crushed him und