Democrat and sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1853-1866, 1855-02-01
EBENsBURG, FEBRUARY 1, 1855.

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ike head to frighten the world for it is that
cancer. or that crime, which constitutes their
respective individuality. Roderick Elliston,I
who little while before had held himself so
scornfully above the common lot of men, now
paid full allegiance to this humiliating law
The snake in his bosom seemed the symbol Of
monstrous egotism, to which everything was
referred, and which he pampered, night and
day, with q continual and exclusive sacrifice
of deyii-worship.
He soon exhibited what most peop'e consid-
cred indubitable tokens of insanity. In some
of his moods, strange to say, he prided and
gloryied himself on being marked out frenl
the ordinary experience of mankind, by the
possession of double nature, and life with
in. a life. He appeared to imagine. that the
snake was divinity not celestial it = t<oes
but darkly infernal-and that ne thence de-
rived an eminence and sanctlty, horrid, in-
deed, yet more desirable than whatever am
bition aims at Thus he drew his misery
around him, like regal mantle, and looked
down triumphantly upon those whose vitals
nourished no deadly monster oftener, how
ever, his human nature asserted It's empire
over. him, in the shape OF yearning for fel-
lowship. 1t grew to be his custom to spend
the whole day IN wandering about the streets,
ainlessly, unless it might be called an ann to
establish species of brotherhood between
himself and the world. With cankered inge-
nuity, he sought his own disease in every
breast. Whether insane or not, he fhoweea
SO keen perception offrailty. error, aud vice,
that many persons gave him credit for being
possessed not merely with serpent, but with
an actual fiend, who impaired this EVIL faculty
eff recognizing whatever was ugiiest N mans
heart. ssl.
For instance, ne met an indiylduai, who'
for thirty years, had cherished hatred against
his own brother. koderlck, amidst the throng
of the street, laid his hand ON this mans chest,
ana looking iuAiin ms iorpiaaing 1ace;
=. :. how is the snake to-day he inquired
WITH a, mock, expression @ OF sympathy, -,
The snake !! exclaimed the orother-hater
nat snake 90 you mean
q The snake. The snake Does he gnaB
your persisted Roderick, "a - Did you take
counsel with him,l this morning, when you
should have been saying your. prayers Did
ne sung, when you thought OF your prother
health, wealth and good repute Did he ca
per for JOY, when you remembered the profil-
gacy OF his oniy son And whether ne stung,
or whether ne froliicked, did you feel ms pol
son throughout your body and soul, conyer-
ting every thing to sourness and bitterness
That IS the way OF such serpents. have
learned the whole nature OF them from MY
own
here IS the ponce roared the object
of koderlcks persecution, at the same time
giving an instructive clutch to his breast
g Why IS this iunatlc allowed to go at larger
Ha, ha, ehuckled Koderlek, releasing
his grasp of the man. HIS bosom serpent
stung hlil then e8
Often, it pleased the unfortunate young man
to yex people with lighter satire, yet. still
characterized by somewhat OF snake-like vlru-
lence. One day, he encountered an ambitious
statesman, and grayely inquired after the well
fare of his boa constructor for of that Species
Roderick affirmed, this gentieman's serpent
must needs be, since its appetite was enormous
enough to deyour the whole country and con-
stitution. At another time, he stopped a
close-fsted oldsfellow, of great wealth, but
who skulked about the city, in the guise of a
scare-crow, with a patched blue surtout
brown hat, and mouldy boots, scraping pence,
together, and picking up rusty nails. Pre-
tending to look earnestly at this respectable
persons stomach, Roderick assured him that
his snake was copperhead, and had been
generated by the immense quantities of that
base metal, with which he daily deflcd his nm
gers. Again he assaulted man OF rubicand
yisage, and told hifl that few bosom serpents
had more OF the devil IN them than those that
breed In the vats OF distiiiery. The next
whom koderiek honored with bis attention
was distinguishes clergy man. VINO happened
Just then 10 he engaged IN theological con-
troyersy, Where human wrath was more per-
ceptible than DIVINE aspiration
ou nave swallowed snake IA cup OF
sacramehtal-Wine quoth he