Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1854-05-25
In Bed with q Cobra.

might have slep, some tour or five
hours, and dTeanless aud unsatisiyiug
sleep il was; bul certain II is--iel scio
lists say what they will, and skeFncs
throw doubts by hondsiuls on the asscr.
llons Of metaphy hysiclans-!hat before
awoke aud in dreainiess slumbei | had
visible perception ol peru, a conscious
ness OF the lowering presence ot death.
How 10 describe my feelings know moi;
bu,, as we huye all read and heard that,
If ihe eyes of watcher are steadily fix
ed on the counienance of sleeper Tor a
certain length Of time, ihe slumberer will
be sure to stare up, awakened by The
mysterious magneti,in ot fecundi,e
principle of cluIrvoy ance. so II was that
with shat eyes and drowsed.up senses,
an inward ability was conferred upon
me to detect The living presence OF dan
ger near me, to see. though sleep. blinG,
The (ormless shape OF a mysterious hor-
ror crouch,ng beside me; and, as ii the
peril lha, was my nighl male was Of a
nature 10 be qulckened into fatal activity
bv :ny molion on my part, | iels in my
very s,upor the CRITICAL necessity of be-
lug quite still, so tha, when | at last
woke and felt that. as lay w,lh my lace
toward the roof, there Was thick. boa-
Wy, cold. creeping Thing on my chest. |
stirred moi, nor uttered word Of panic.
Danger aud fear may occasionally dull
The senses and paralyze the facnlues,
bu, they more frequently sharpen both:
and ere | could twice wink lay eyes J
was broad awake and aware thar, colling
and coiling itself into circle OF twists,
an enormous serpent was on my breast.
/ When tell you that the whole OF my
chest and even The pit Of my stomach.
were covered with The cold, scaly pro
portions Of Tie reptile, you will own
that II must have been one Of consider
able size. Wha, my thoughts weie, so
made up Of adherence, dread and ex-
pecialiun, nay, assurance OF speedy
death thai must follow any movemen,
on my part. can never hope TO tell IN
language sufficiently distinct and vivid to
convey their iull force. l! was evident
| the loa.hsome creature had at length set,
4 lied itself 10 sleep; and lel. thankful thai
attracted by my breath. ]. had not ap
preached the upper part OF my throat
] /, became quite s.ll. and It's welgh.y
i pressure-i,s first ciammy chillness be
coning gradually $50 il seemed 10 me) o.
burning heat--and the cdious, indes'
cribable odor that exhaled from its body
and petvaded the whole air, SO over.
wheln ed me that il was only by severe
struggle preserved myself from shrek
ing. a.
As it was, a co,d sweat burst from
every pore: | could hear the beating O
my heart: and felt, to my increased dis
may, tha, the palsy Of terror had begur
10 agi,ale my limbs. Il will awake
/ .hoaghl l, and then all is over! At ,ha
junciure, somc.hing-it might have beer
a wall lizard. or large bee,le-iell from
the ceiling upon my lef. arm which lay
stretched at my side. The snake, un
coiing its head. raised itself with low
hiss, and then, for the first time. saw
il, saw the hood. tie terrible crest glii
iering in the moonshine. II was q Go
bra di Capello! Shading my eyes I.
i exclude the dreadful spectacle, lay al
most fain,ing until again all was quiet