The Carolina Spartan. [volume] (Spartanburg, S.C.) 1852-1896, 1857-10-22
Charmed by a RattleSnake.
by W. eILMoRE sIMsrs, IL. D.

you"S S'Vi cnarmeu by rattlesnake one OF
the most remarkable and beautiful tescrip.
t'ons ever penued. We pronounce it one
OF the most truthful-having a very dis.
tinct recollection, from experience, when a
lad, OF similar fascination aud impotence of
volition, from the dreadful copper head. Ma.
ny persons laugh at the idea of snake
charming as delusion--.it may be so, but
IT'S one that came near costing us our life:
"Before the maiden rose little clump of
busbes--brght tangled leaves Haunting wide
IN glossiest green, with vines trailing over
them thickly decked with blue and crimson
flowers. Her eye communed vacantly with
these; fastened by star-like shining glance,
subtle ray that shot out from the circle of
green leaves, seeming 10 be their very eye,
aud sending out fluid lus,re that seemed
to stream over the space between and find
It's way into her own eyes; very piercing and
beautiful was that subtle brightness Of the
sweetest, strongest power. And now the
leaves quivered and seemed to floa. away
only to return, and the vines waved and
swung away in fantastic mazes, unfolding
ever charming varieties of form and color
to her gaze; but the star like eye was ever
steadfast, bright nnd gorgeous, in their
midst, and still fastened with strange fond.
ness upon her. How beautiful, with won
drous intensity, did it CLEAN and dila,e,
growing larger and more Iustrous with eve.
ry beam it sent forth. And her own glance
became ;ntepse, fixed, also; but with a
dreaming sense which conjured ~, tne
widest fancies, terribly beautiful, that took
her soul away from her and wrapt it about
as with spell. She would have fled, she
would have flown, but she had no power to
move. The will was wanting for her flight.
She felt that she could have bent forward
to pluck the gem-like thing from the bosom
of the leaf in which it seemed TO grow. and
which irradiated with its bright white
gleam; bat ever, as she stretched forth her
hand, and bent forward, she heard rush Of
wings and shrill scream from the tree
above her-such scream as the mockjnp
bird makes, when angrily it raises its duskv
chest and flaps It's wings furiousIy against
Its slender side. Such scream seemed like
warning, and though yet unwakened to a
fall consciousness, it startled aud forbade
her effort
More than once in her survey of this
strange object had she heard that shrill no,c
of warning. and TO her mind the same vague
consclousness of an evil presence. But The
star like eve was still upon her own-a
small, bright eye, quick like that of bind:
now steady IN It's place, aud observant seem
'ngiy only OF hers; now darling forward
with all the clustering leaves about it, and
shooting mp toward, rs il wooiug her to
seize. AT another moment riveted TO the
vine which lay around it, it would whirl
round and round, dazzlingly bright and
beautiful, even as torch waving hurriedIy
oy night IN the hands of some playful boy;
but IN all this time the glance was never
taken from her own-there it grew, fixed
very principle of highland with bright
subtle, burning, piercing, fascinating CLEAN.
such as gathers in vapors above the old
grave, and binds us as we look-shooting
darting directly in her eye, dazzling her
gaze, defeating its sense Of discrimination.
aud confusing strangely its sense of percep
ton. She felt dizzy, for as she looked. a
cloud OF colors, bright, gay, various coors,
ioated and hung like so much drapery
around the single object that had so secur
ed her attention, and spell bound her feet.
Her limbs felt momentarily more and more
insecure, her blood grew cold, and she seem.
ed TO feel the gradual freeze of vein by vein.
throughout her person. At that moment
rustiing was heard in the branches of the
tree beside he, and the bird, which had re.
peatedly uttered single cry above her, as
1t were of warning, flew away from his sta.
llon with scream more piercing than ever
This movement had the effect for which il
seemed intended, of bringing back to her a
portion OF that consciousness she had been
nearly deprived OF before. She stroye TO
move from tho beautiful but terrible rres-
ence, but for while she strove in vain.
The rich, star-lke glance still riveted her
own, and the subtle fascination kent her
bound. The mental energies, however. in
inc moment OF their greatest trial, now
gathered suddenly to her aid and with a
desperate effort, and with a feeling of most
annoying uncertainty and dread, she sue
ceeded partially IN the attempt, and threw
her arms backwards, her hands graspinp
the neighboring tree, feeble, lottering, and
depending upon 1t for that support which
her own limbs almost entirely denied her.
Wlih her movement came, however. the
full development Of the powerful spell and
dreadful mystery before her.
las her feet receded, though but sin.
gle pace, to the tree where she now rested
he a"d'oty articalated ring, like that of the
watch when wound up with the verge bro.
Ken, announced the nature OF the splendid
yet dangerous presence, in the form of
monster rattlesnake, now but few feet be-.
fore her, lying coiled at the bottom of a
beautiful! shrub, with which to her dreamy
eye many of its own glorious hues had
been associated. She was at length con.
scious enough to perceive and feel her dan.
ger; but terror had deprived her of the
strength necessary to fly from her dreadful
enemy. There still gared the eye beauti
inIiy bright and piercing, fixed upon her
own; aud seemingly in the spirit of sport
the lns'dious reptile slowly unwound him.
self from b;o on;I kut onI,