Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1855-07-21
A FRIGHTFUL SNAKE STORY.

| The following incident was related to us
the other day by one whose veracity is un-
questioned, and who was an eye witness OF
the fact. 1t is more appalling than any we
recollect to have ever read in the history OF
these reptiles:
Some time last summer the inhabitants Of
Manchester, Mississippi, gave barbecue,
which was attended by most of the beauty
and fashion of the town and surrounding
country. 1t happened that among the guests
there was young lacy, Miss NJ, recently
from one of the eastern cities, who was on
q visit to her relations in the neighborhood
of the town.
Miss NJ. was gay and extremely fashion
able young lady, and withal possessed an un-
common share of spirit and courage, except
in matter of snakes, and Of those she had
so great dread that she scarcely dared to
walk anywhere, except in the most frequent
ed places, for fear of encountering them.
Every effort was used but without avail, to
rid her of her childish fears. They haunted
settled conviction of her mind that she was
destined to fall victim to the fangs of rat
tlcsnake. The sequel will show how soon
her terrible presentiment was fulfilled.
Towards the close of the day, while scores
of the fairy feet were keeping time in the
dance to the music, and the whole company
were in the full tide Of enjoyment, scream
was heard from Miss NJ, followed by the
most agonizing cries for help. The crowd
gathered round her instantly, and beheld her
standing the perfect image of despair, with
her hands grasping a portion Of her dress
Sith all the tenacity of vice. 1t was some
time before she could be rendered sufficiently
calm to tell the cause of her alarm and then
they gathered from her broken exclamation
that she was grasping the head of a snake
let go her hold for fear Of receiving the fatal
blow. This intelligence caused many to
| shrink from her, but most of the ladies, for
| their honor be it told, determined not to leave
her in her direful extremity.
They bcsought her not to relax her hold,
| as safety depended upon it, until some one
could be found with courage enough to seize
and remove the terrible animal. There were
none Of the ladies' however to perform the
act, and the situation Of Miss NJ. was becom-
| ing more and more critical every moment.
| 1t was evident that her strength was failing
fast and that she could not maintain her hold
many minutes longer.
A hasty consultation among the calmest
of the ladies was held, when it was deter.
mined that MIR. Tison, who was present
should be called to their assistance. lie was
quickly on the spot, and being a man of un
common courage, he was not many minutes
within the circle of half iainting females, unit
he caught the tail of the snake and wound il
round his hand to make sure of his hold.
He then told Miss Nj. that she must let &C
at the moment he jerkedit away ;and to make
the act as instantaneous as possible, he woult
pronounce the words one, two, three, and a
the moment he pronounced the last word, she
must let go her hold, and he doubted not hC
could withdraw the snake, before it would
have time to strike. All stood in breathless
horror, awaiting the act of life or death, ant
at the moment the word three was pronoun
ced the doctor jerked out the largest ani
most diaboical looking hustle that was evel
seen in Mississippi. The whole affair was
then explained. The fasteniues of the ma
chine had become loose during dancing, and
it had shifted its position in such way that
it dangled about the lady's limbs, and in
duced the belief that it was a snake with al
enormous head.
The doctor fell right dowr in his track:
and tainted--he did.