The Sumter banner. [volume] (Sumterville, S.C.) 1846-1855, 1855-01-17
Snake Fascination.

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Snake Fascination.
We have occasionally read accounts
of persons having been fascinated or
spell bound by snakes, but never
knew of an instance occurring in our
vicinity until day or two since, and
one that we know to be fact. A man
by the name OF OMara had a small
child, little girl about thirteen years
OF age, who came to her death through
the influence Of a snake, one day last
week, under the following circum.
stances; O'Mara resides on Coppcras
Creek, i'll Franklin county, and but
u short distance from the Pacific
Railroad depot. Some nine months
ago. carly last fall, his family noticed
the little girl to be pining away, and
brcame very weak and pale, although
she had been very flcshy and hearty,
and apparently without any cause or
complaint Of sickness. BY the time
winter had fairly set in, she was
wasted away to 4 mere skeleton, but
rs soon rs the weather became cold she
ag"in seemed to revive. She never
complained of being unwcIl, and in
reply to all their inquiries in regard
to her health, she in ariably said she
felt well, only a little weak. AS
soon rs spring arrived, she coald not
be prevailed upon to eat any victulIs
l., her fathers house, but would take
a piece of bread and butter, or piece
of meat, and go out to lhercdge Of
the creek to cat it: Ttlc family no.
ticcd her regularity, always going pre-
cisely to the same plncs, aud invari.
ably complaining of being hungry af:
ter her return, when if more victuals
would be given her, she would again
return to the creek, us they thought,
to cat.
Finally, some oft.e neighbors hav-
ing heard Of the circumstances Of
the child's extraordinary conduct, and
also OF her wasted appearance, sug-
gested to her father to watch her move.
mcnts, which hc did 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
wen, to her fathers house, asked for
u 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 rs the child was seated, the faith.
er saw II huge black snake slowly
raise its head into her lap and re-
ccivc the bread and butter from her
hand; and when she would attempt to
take y 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 being able to move
hand or foot; entertaining, as mos,
persons do, great dread for snakes, he
felt alarmed for the safety of his child,
not knowing the nature OF the snake or
the extent Of the influence on the
child. His blood became almost
cloggcd in his veins, and he groaued
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 frightcn.
ed. Her father followed her, but she
refused to answer any questions, and
he then resolved to detain his child
home, but he was advised to permit
her to go again next day to the
creek, and to follow her and kill the
snake. Next morning she took piece
of bread and went ont to the creek, her
father followed her with his gun in
his hand, and as soon as tho snake
made his appearance shot him through
the head. The child swooned; the
snake squirmed 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 a man.
ncr resembling the writhing Of the
snake, and'finally died ut the same
moment the snake did, apparently in
the greatest agony.
This horrible, and at the same
time melancholy occurrence, is the
first we have heard Of for long time,
and in fact the first We ever knew OF
where we could positively vouch for
its truthful correctness. We know
that there are persons who doubt the
roality of snake fascination, but il
they entertain any doubts on this sub,
lect hereafter, the relatives Of this un
fortunate little girl can be found