Weekly North Carolina standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1850-1858, 1855-11-21
A we NDERFUL SNAKE STORY.


We copy the following curious, wonderful per-
picking, and perspicacous "snake story" from the
Rockingham IN. CO. Democrat We entirely agree
with the Editor of the Democrat in his reflections
on the subject. With him, we can readily believe
the boy " secs snake" and especially when about
the stillhouse; but how those tracks were made,
why it spoke to him, as the first serpent did to
mother Eve, and why it is that no gun when point
ed at it, will explore are indeed mysteries to US
unfathomable. We may add that "snax " are oc-
casionally seen in these parts and that they leave
their mark too, like the Rockingham snake but
whether :" natural snakes" or only make-beIieve
snakes, or artificial snakes, is more than we can
"explore." We believe, however that they are pro-
duced by species of stiNsoorn. We distinctly re-
member seeing man not long since, to whom it was
given to behold monstrous snake with four eyes,
with goggles on each eye, and fanned-for the air
was het-by- bat wings at time, attached
to only four bats! Just think of that The same
man a cat mcw. The inference drew from
all ths-with a charcoal-was, that the man {" wore
clover in his hat" and in the habit Of smiling
privately "and of observing things per consequence
thus publicly. Alfred, it seems, was tied, and no
doubt with rope; but was tied with
habit-and he saw best and most always when thus
tied But we are OBTAINING our readers from the
story Mr.. Stone speaks with much earnestness and
no doubt feels what he says We ask hone of our
readers to form an opinion on the subject, yet
bcspcak for the story their "most distinguished
consideration"
A SNAKE STORY.
We publish the following letter from Mr. Stone,
containing Snake Story" The affair seems to be
call the talk over in that region. One Of the
"neig ghbors" has since called in and substantiacd
the facts in the letter. Mr.. S. is reliable and
his son "don't tell lies The latter is very much
alarmed, his health, we learn is giving away under
the effects of the singular occular dcluson. The
tracks of the snake, constitute exception to the
general run of mental hallucnations. We can read
lily believe the boy "sces snake ;" but that it makes
track is rather hard to swallow, it not attes
ted by men of veracity:
A CURIOUS SNAKE.
MEssRs. EDITORS We have q very mysterious
snake, which visits my Still House, and also 9TH
Ell places about my farm. The snake is invisible to
ali persons who have been to sec it. 1t has never
been discovered by no person except my son Alfred,
and wherever he goes by himself the snake appears
The snake first appeared to my son in the Still
House, and he ran up to my dwelling house in great
excitement and told me he saw very large rattle
snake lying in the fire in the Still House. And
made all the haste / possibly could to the Still
House, and when got there found nothing of the
snake at ALL and made considerable search for the
snake for was afraid to stay in the Still House Of
nights, supposing that rattle snake lived in or
about the Still House, so l abandoned the idea of
sting of nights and still altogether in daytime and
Alfred being my principal stillcr, sends him off to
still again the next day. and he the snake again.
And cxerted all the power could in order to get
to the still house before the snake could get away,
and it had absconded again ; and my son told NE
where he it last and then made all tke search
could, and found nothing Of the snake but still
thought it natural snake; and the excitement
brought out a great many of my neighbors in order
to try to see and to try to kill the snake, but none
of them after all their searches could find it; and it
kept OH appearing to my son every time he went to
the still house. and some of my neighbors with
their guns in order to watch for the SNAKE in order
| that they might shoot it. but none of them could
ever discover it, and some of them left their guns in
the hands Of my son. for him to shoot it, and he in
varably tried to shoot it, but could not and with
guns too that never miss firing, but he could gel
none of the guns to 60 Off Some of them would fal
haibent, and not one particle of fire could be seen
| when he would pull the cock down, and after
| my neighbOrs had been to my house from time tC
time to see SNAKE and none Of them could ever SET
| it, they began to conclude that it all lie or
the part Of my son, and Geo. W. Lester and others
and concluded to shoot at the spot where olc
them it was, and Mr.. Lester went on to the place
and my seeing the snake all the whiie and tell
ing hlm, (Mr. Lester) that the snake was under hi
feet and that it would bite him, and Mr.. Leste
standing all the while with his gun in his hand
looking all the whlle with all the eyes ne had ant
could nothing OF the snake at all, which scarce
him prodigiousy. Then Mr. Lester left his gun fo
Alfred to shoot the snake himself, so my son som,
time after went down to the still house, and sur
enough he found the snake again, and the gun O
MIR. Lester in his (my son's) hand, we'll loaded
primed, and [ believe there is not better gun il
the State ior it is said that his gun miss firing
when tried but my son took good aim at the snak
and the cock fell hall bent-ne tried again and no
particle of fire seen; he tried four times ant
the gun would not explore; he was told to turn tn
muzze of the gun in u different direction, which h
did, and it fired as clear any gun you heard
but still! the ncghbOrs said if 1t snake it wou
make track. But myself was bound to believ
what my son said, for l never knew my to tell
| lie, under circumstances whatever And it s
happened that some of my neghbors came in agai
to sec the SNAKE and to if they could find an
mark it made, so we sprinkled ashes all over tn
still house, and in the hole where it always came in
and we tied my son, fast, so he could not make tn
track himself, in any way whatever, and then we lei
him tied in the still house, by himself, and wen
away, and it was but few moments before he let U
know that the snake in the still house AGAR
and We went to see if there was any mark; and bt
hold there was mark as broad my hand wher
it came in and went out, and then they were bea
and confirmed it was something, so then did ne
suffer Alfred to stay about the still house but little
for whenever he goes there he is sure to it. an
it also appears to him in different parts Of the faru
but not much as it does at the still house, an
he was told to talk to it, and it would tell him wha
it wanted and he says he asked it in the name
the Lord what did it want, and he says it said
him :" that it wanted to destroy the Sting,' an
sneaked OF, then to be convinced, tied Alfred
the still house again. and he was told to Glove
in his hat and then he could see what it waS an
while he was tied in the still house he had clover