New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-06-28
Nem!Nprk Qailp Gribn,te
A FRIGHTFUL SNAKE STORY.
r,ou The Mis,i,sippi Journal


The following incident was related 10 US the other
day by one whose veracity is unguestioned ana VINO
was an eyewitness OF the fact. IL Is more appaing
than any we recoec to have ever read ia the history
of these reptiles:
Some time last Summer the inhabitants of Manches
ter Mississippi gave barbecue, which was attended
by most of The fashion and beauty OF the town aud
surrounding country 1t happened thaI alaong ,no
guests there young lady Miss NJ, recently ireui
one of tie Eastern cities. who was on Visit 10 ner
relations in the neighborhood OF the town.
Niss NJ was a gay and extremely fashionable young
lady, and withel possessed an uncommon saa.o =,
spirit and courage except in the matter OF snakes ana
OF those she had great dread that sne scarceiy
dared to walk any where except IN the mos. tequcn.eu
places for fear of encountering them. Every enort
wes used but without avail to nd her OF her cniidsn
fears They haunted her continually until at last it
became the settled conviction Of her mind that she was
destined to fall victim TO the fangs OF ratlesnake
The sequel will show how soon her terrible present.
ment was fulfilled
Toward the close of the day, while scores Of the
fairy feet were keeping time in the dance 10 the music,
and the whole company were IN the full tide oil ENJOY
ment a scream was heard from Miss H., followed by
the most agonizing cries for help. The crowd gath
cred around her instantly and beheld her standing,
the perfect image of despair vita her hands grasp'n8
portion of her dress with all tne enacityoi = veS'
1t was some time before she could he rendered sum
GENTLY calm 10 tell the OF her alarm and then
they gathered from her broken EXPLANATIONS that she
Was grasping the head of snake among the folds OF
her dress and feared to let go her hold for fear OF re-
ceyipg the fatal blow This intelligence caused many
TO shrink from her. but the ladies' for their honor be &c
told, determined not to leave her In her aireful az
tremity.
They besought her not 10 relax her holf ~ safety
depended upon it, until some could be found with
courage enough to seize and remove the terrible AMI
NAL There were none of the ladies willing, however,
10 perform the act, and the situation of Miss M. was
becoming more and more critical every moment IL
was evident that her strength was failing fast and
that she could not maintain her hold many minutes
longer
hasty consultation among the calmest OF the ladies'
was held when il determined that DIR. T1son, who
was present should be called 10 their assistance he
was quickly on the spot and being a man Of uncom-
mon courage he was not many minutes within the
circle of weeping and haffainting females until he
caught the tail Of the snake and wound II round his
hand to make sure of his hold.
He then told Miss Nj. that she must let go at the
moment he jerked it away and TO make the act as In
stantaneous as possible, he would pronounce the
words one, two three and at the moment he pro-
uounced the last word she must let go her hold and he
doubted not he could withdraw the snake before It
would have time to strike. AL stood In brcsfhlesa
horror awaiting the act Of life or death; and at The mo-
ment the word three was pronounced the doctor
Jerk ed out the largest and most Notwithstanding bus
lie that was ever seen in Mississippi. The whole al
fair was then explained. The fastenings Of the ma
chine had become loose during dancing, and 1t had
shifted ts position in such way that dangled about
the lady's limbs and induced the belief that was
snake with an enormous head
The doctor feu right down in his tracks and tainted
he did.