Anti-slavery bugle. [volume] (New-Lisbon, Ohio) 1845-1861, 1854-08-05
SNAKE FASCINATION.-A RECENT IN
STANCE IN MISSOURI.

We have occasionally read accounts of persons
having been fascinated or spell-bound by snakes,
but never knew of an instance occurring in our
vicinity until II day or two since, and one that we
know to be a fact. A man by the name of ONIara
had a small child, a little girl about thirteen years
Of age, who came to her death through the influ-
cnce of a snake, one day last week, under the fol-
lowing circumstances: O'Mara resides on Copperas
Greek, in Franklin county, and but a short distance
from the Pacific Railroad depot. Some nine months
ago, carly last fall, his family noticed the little girl
to be pining away and becoming very weak and
pale, although she had been very fcshy and hearty,
and apparently without any cause or complaint of
sickness.
BY the time winter had fairly set in she was
wasted away to a mere skeleton, but us soon as the
weather became cold again she seemed to revive.
She never complained Of being unwoll, and in re-
ply to all their inquiries in regard to her health,
she invariably said she felt very well only a little
weak. As soon as spring arrived, she could not be
prevailed upon to eat any ~victuals in her fathers
house, but would take a piece of bread and butter,
or a piece of meat, and go out to the edge of the
creek to eat it. The family noticed her regularly,
always going precisely to the same place, and in.
yariably complaining of being hungry after her
return, when, if more victuals would be given her,
she would again return to the creek, as they thought,
to cat.
Finally, some of the neighbors having heard of
the circumstances of the child's extraordinary
conduct, and also of her wasted appearance, sug-
gested to her father to watch her movements, which
he did last Friday. The child had been sitting on
the bank of the creek nearly all the forenoon, until
near dinner time, when she got up and went to her
fathers house, asked for a piece of bread and but
ter, and again returned to the same place she had
been. Her father kept behind her without making
any noise. AS soon as the child was seated, the
father saw n huge black snake slowly raise its
head into her lap and receive the bread and butter
from her hand and when she would attempt to
take a bite of the bread, the snake would commence
kissing and become apparently very angry, when
the child, trent ling like a leaf, would promptly
return the bread to the monster. The father was
completely paralyzed, not being able to move hand
or foot-entertaining, as most Irish persons do, a
great dread for snakes, he felt alarmed for the
safety of the child, not knowing the nature of the
snake or the extent of the influence on his child.
His blood became almost clogged in his veins,
and he groaned in perfect agony, which caused the
snake to become alarmed, and glide away into the
creek. The child then Immediately sprang to her
feet and ran home, apparently much frightened
Her father followed her, but she refused to answer
any questions, and lie then resolved to detain the
child at homo, but he was advised to permit her to
60 again next day to the creek, and TO follow her
and kill the snake. Next morning she took a
piece of bread again and went out to the creek
her father followed her with his gun in his hand,
and MS soon as the snake made his appearance,
shot him through the head. The child swooned
the snake sguirmed and worked himself around
awhile, and then died; the child in the meantime
recovered from her swoon, but was immediately
seized with spaSms, acting in Il manner resembling
the writing of the snake, and finally died at the
same moment the snake did, apparently in the
greatest agony.
This horrible, and at the same time melancholy
occurrence, is the first we have heard of for a long
time, and in fact the first we ever knew of where
we could possibly vouch for its truthful correctness.
f We know that there are persons who doubt the
reality of snake fascination, but if thew entertain
any doubts on this subject hereafter, the relatives
of this unfortunate little girl can be found read
and willing to corroborate our statement. This
should serve as a warning to parents who reside in
the country to be more careful in watching thcil
= children.
We had almost forgotten to mention that it wa
! a black snake, generally supposed to be harmless
t that is, not poisonous, seven feet six inches il
c length, that fascinated the little girl.-Sf. Loui
t Herald, July II.