Orleans independent standard. [volume] (Irasburgh, Vt.) 1856-1871, 1857-10-30

iAAAO A4GA eA2ls uC1EdkAAiA
its sense of discriminationand confusing
strangely its sense of reception. She {
felt dizzy, for as she lookd, a cloud of I
colors-bright, gay, varioa colors-hoat-
ed and hung ike so much 6apery around
the single object that had secured her
and spell-bound ar feet. Her
limbs felt momently more aid more inse-
cure, her blood grew cold. and she seemed
to feel the gradual freeze otveir by vein
throughout her person. Atthat moment
rustling was heard in sae branches of
H., A--,e 81 L.. a Tl5s a,trvt, a.a--a-
had repeatedly uttered a single cry above
her, as it were of warning, few away
from his station with a scream more
piercing than ever. This movement had /
the effect for which it seemed intended, |
of bringing back to her portion OF that
consciousness she had been nearly de-
prived of before. She strove to move
from the beautiful but terrible presence,
but for a while she str0ve in vain. The
rich, star-ike glance still rivited her own,
and the subtle fascination kept her bound.
The mental energies, however, in the mo-
ment of their greatest trial, now gather
ed suddenly to her aid, and with a des-
perate effort, but with feeling of most
annoying uncertainty and dread, she sue
ceeded partially in the attempt, and threw
her arms backward. her hands grasping
the neighboring tree, feeble, tottering,
and depending upon it for that support
which her own limbs almost entirely de-
MED her. With her movement came,
however, the full Development of the
powerful spell and dreadful mystery be-
fore her.
AS her feet receded, though but a
single pace, from the tree upon which she
now rested, the audibly articulated ring,
like that of watch when wound up with
the verge broken, announced the nature
Of the splendid yet dangerous presance
in the form of a monster rattlesnake, now
but few feet before her, lying coiled at
the bottom of a beautiful shrub, with
which, to her dreaming eye, many of its
own glorious hues had been associated.
/ She was at length conscious euUugn IL
perceive and feel her danger; but ter
ror had deprived her of the strength
necessary to fly from her dreadful enemy
There still glared the eye, beautiful bright
and piercing, fixed upon her own; and
seemingly in the spirit Of sport, the in
sidions reptile slowly unwound himself
from his coil, but only TO wind himself VI
again into his muscular ring-his grea
fiat head rising in the midst, and slowly
nodding, as it were, toward her, the eye
still peering into her own, the rattI,
slightly ringing at intervals, and giving
forth that paralyzing souLd, which, ono,
heard, is remembered forever. The rep
tile all this time seeming conscious ot
and to sport with, while seeking to excit
her terrors. Now, with its fiat head. dis
tended mouth, and curving neck, woul
it dart forth its long form to warn her
its fatal teeth, unfolding on either side G
its upper jaws, seeming to threaten he
instantaneous death, while its powerfu
eye shot forth glances of that fats
fascination, Indignantly bright, whic
by paralysing with a moved form Of tel
! ror and of beauty, may readily accour
for the spell which ii possesses Of binC
ing the feet of the timid, and denyin
even to fear the privilege of fight. Coul
she have fed She felt the necessit,
but the power of her limbs was gone; an
, there still it lay, coiling and uncoiling, i
: arched neck glittering like a ring
bronzed copper, bright and lurid, and IL
! dreadful beauty of its eye still fastene
u eagerly contemplating the victim, viii
J the pendulous rattle still rung the deaf
'V note, as if to prepare the conscious mil
q for the fate which is momently approac
! ing the blow. Meanwhile the stillne
+ became death-like with all surroundir
ing objects. The bird had gone with
is scream and rush. The breeze was silel
III The vines ceased to wave. The leav
he family quivered on their stems. II
ii serpent once more lay still, but the e
i'll was never turned away from the victi
* It's corded muscles are all in a coil. Th
is have but to unclasp suddenly, and t
of dreadful foils will be upon her in Fl
be length. and the fatal teeth will stril
ng and the deadly venom which they seer'
ze will mingle with the life blood in /
be veins.
irl "The terrified damsel, her full c,
nd sciousness restored, but not her streng
IT. feels all her danger. She sees that
" sport Of the terrible reptile is at an el
ice She cannot now mistake the horrid