Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1854-08-03
VOLUME X1. NO. 80.

snake, one day, week before last, under the
following circumstances :-O'Mara resides on
Copperas Creek, in Franklin county, and but
a short distance from the Pacific Railroad depot.
Some nine months ago, early last fall, his fami.
ly noticed the little girl to be pining away, and
becoming very weak and pale, although she had
been very aeshy and hearty land apparently with
out any cause or complaint of sickness.
By the time winter had fairly set in, she was
wasted away to a mere skeleton, but as soon as
the weather became cold she again seemed to
revive. She never complained of being unwell,
and in reply to all their inquiries in regard to
her health, she invariably said she felt very well,
only little weak. As soon as spring arrived,
she could not be prevailed upon to eat any vict.
uals in her fathers house, but would take
piece OF bread and butter, or piece of meat,
and GO o''t 20 tho edge vr tue Creek TO eat It,.
The family noticed her regularly, always going
precisely to the same place, and Invariably com
planning of being hungry after her return, when
1t 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 extraordiua.
ry conduct, and also of her wasted appeareacs,
suggested to her father to watch her movements,
which he did week before 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 father house,
asked for piece of bread and butter, 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 huge black snake slowly raise its
head into her lap and receive the bread and but
ter from her hand and when she would at
tempt to take bite of the bread, the snake
would commence kissing and become apparently
very angry, when the child, trembling like
leaf, would promptly return the bread to the
monster.
The father was completely paralyzed, not be-
ing able to move hand or foot entertaining, rs
most Irish persons do, a great dread of snakes,
he felt alarmed for the safety of bis child, not
knowing the nature Of the snake or the extent
of the influence on his child. His blood be-
came almost clogged in his veins, and he groan-
ed 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 ans
wer any questions, and he then resolved to de-
tain his child at home, but he was advised to
permit her to go again next day to the creek,
and follow her and kill the snake
Next morning she took piece of bread and
again went out to the creek her father follow
ed her with his gun in his hand, and as soon as
the snake made his appearance shot him through
the head. The child swooned the snake squirm-
ed 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 manner resembling the
writhing of the snake, and finally died the same
moment the snake did, apparently in the great
est agony"