Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1843-02-24
A SNAKE STORY.

We we're once travelling through II.
liUois, and stopped al a small tavern TO
put up for the night, After supper The
travellers enjeavored 10 while away the
dull hours oil the night by relating their
adventures Tales Of robbers and men
found with their throsts Get aud valIses
r,hed, were the first that was exhausted
next came ghosts, haunted houses buried
monev snG death felches' in abundance,
and then as a kind Of desert to the intel,
!ecluaI feast, we were RECALLED with slo
ries Of big snakes and all kinds Of poi
sonous varments,' from Cieopatra's asp
down to spiders. A young Physician,
since a distinguished member Of Con
gress formed one of our party, aud TO
him we are indebted for lhe largest snake
story that ever we heard.
'ln lhe spring Of last year, said he;
q was about bui iIdlng house on the out
skirts Of the town in which live. A
number ol men were hired, and il being
some distance from my dwelling, | re
solved, having the work to superinlend,
TO sleep night or two in the basement
Of the unfinished building. Spreading
my great coat on the floor, and taking q
stiff glass oil brandy, bid my men good
night; bu, | had scarcely closed my eyes
before heard something like a rattle
Knowing that the place abounded with
raltlesnakes Of the largest species, snC
being 10 Inc dark, was rather fearfu
that might have one Of those unpIeas
ant companions for bed fellow, so | di
rected one Of the men to get up anC
build fire. There was a large fla
stone some six or eight feet broad, whct
in laying the foundation had never beef
taken up, and this formed The base o
the fireplace. The man did as he wa
directed, and as soon as the Cheerful
blaze lit the apartment, ! mentioned m,
suspicious 10 him and told him what
thought had heard. He was a yer,
timid fellow, and he related an awful sic
ry TO me, Of his wi(e's dying from a bit
OF one Of these reptiles, which | assur
you, gentlemen, did not make my stua
lion the more pleasant. The other la
borers joined him, and each one told hi
quantum ol horror, until the whole PAL
ty got 10 such a fever that at every ru;
: lie, we fancied the room was filled wit
snakes. In about two hours, boWeveI
we gradually sunk to sleep; but m
dreams were composed of a collection Z
everything nauseous aud horrid in tn
reptile calendar.
AT ono moment though, was eatiu
fri ed scorpions, and felt them hlc
their stlngs in the rool Of my mouth; q
another, saw big, green, b!oaIed v
per feeding OH the breast Of my wife
and then again | was swimming in 81
} my pool OF water, and every time
struck out, would dash snakes OF a
; kinds and all sizes from around me-
Then II rained snakes and imagine
} that the plague OF fiery serpents had ia
len upon me. awoke in cold swea
with every limb almost para yzed, and
! horried sensation Of cOldness and pre-
F.; sure upon my throat. AT first did n,
) move, hut my senses were all on III
} alert, though Iearluly sgltaled. ! fa
, something clommy crawl across my nee
, aud cIuching al he place with my han
} | dashed il TO the other side Of the roon
| instantly heard thousand rallIes;
J raised my head and by the feeble llgt
! Of the mouIdeting fire, | saw that III
floor orthe room was covered with dar
coIored objects, some OF them glidin
J noiselessly TO the chimney. and othe
, with their heads raised and tails ralIin
{ as though bevy Of walchmen were CO
> ling 10 each other. sbrieked and sprOr
up. Bursting out OIlhe door | was 70