Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1857-06-18

moments was in a perfect frenzy. Heap
ed up and down-cried as loud as / could
aad grasped the snake with all my might.
But it availed me nothing. He slipped his
head from my weakened hand, and made a
blow at my face, striking me fairly upon
the closed lips. This made me mad, and
| gave the infernsl thing another grab
with both hands, trying once more to twist
his neck. The result was that | got an
other blow on the mouth.
But the moment of need was at hand.-
Ifelt the coils growing tighter and tighter
around my body, and my breath was get
ting weak. a severe pain was beginning
to result from the pressure and | saw that
the snake would soon have length enough
for another turn. He was drawn SO tight
ly that the centre OF his body was no big
ger than his head The black skin was
drawn to tension that seemed its utmost,
and yet / could tell by the working of the
large hard scales upon his belly that he was
drawing himself tighter still!
Stricken with absolute terror, gasped,
"What shall Ido?" What could dol
The enemy for whom / had at first held SO
little thought was killing me-killing me
slowly, surely-and | had no hope L, a
stout, strong man, was being actually held
at tho deadly will of black snake! Ny
breath was now short, faint and quick, and
| knew | was growing purple in the face
My hands AMI arms were swollen, and my
fingers were numbedl | had let go of the
snakes neck, AMI he now carried the up-
per part of his boly in a graceful curve
his head vibrating from side to side with
an unlulating motion of extreme graceful.
ness AMI fascination.
At length | staggered! / was losing
my strength rapidly, and the pain of my
body had become excruciating Tho
snakes skin, where it was coiled about me
was so tight that it seemed almost trans
parent. He had found me, or Ihad found
him, in a state of hunger, his stomach free
| from food, and life's muscular force unim,
parei. A second time | staggered, and OBJ.
jects began to swim before me- A dizz,
sensation was in my head, faintness il
my heart, and pain the most agonizine
in my body. The snake hal now three fee
of his body free. He had drawn himsel
certainly three feet longer than before
He dartel his head under my right arm
and brought it up over my right shoulder
and pressing his under jaw firmly down
there he gave sudden wind that made m,
groan with pain. Each moment was al
age of agony-each second a step neared
to death
My knife 0, ifI coull reach it! WHY
not? Why not tear it out? My arm.
were free. Mercy!-why hal L not thought
of that before? Yet [ would try it. l col
lected all my remaining power for the eff
fort, and made the attempt. My trows
ers were of blue cotton stuff, and yer,
strong-I could not tear it, / though
of the stitches. They might not be so te
nacious. | graspel the cloth upon the in
side of my thigh, and gave my last atom o
strength to the effort. The stitches star
ted--they gave way! This result gave mc
hope, and hope gave me power. Another
pull, with both han Is, and the pocket was
lai | bare! With all the force could com
mand-with hope of life-of homc-o
every thing l loved on earth. in that effor,
/ caught the pocket upon the inside and
bore down uponit. There was a cracking
of threa'ls--a soUrd of tearing cloth-and
my knife was in my hands!
| had yet sense enough to know that the
smallest blade was the sharpest, and o
pened it. With one quick, nervous move.
ment pressed the keen edge upon the tens,
skin, and drew it across. With dull
tearing snap, the body parted, and the snak,
fell to the ground in two pieces. 1 stag
gere1 to the boat reached it, and ther,
sank down. l knew nothing more until
heard a voice calling me by my name.
opened my eyes and looked up. My faith
or stood over me with terror depicted in hi.
countenance, told him my story as bes
| could. He went up and got the duck
had taken from the snake-the other one
he could not fnd-and also brought along
the two pieces had made of my enemy
He told me he had heard me cry out, and
at once started off in the large boat after
me, though it was a long while ere he saw
my boat. | had lain there over half al
hour when he found me-.
When we reached home, the snake was
found to be eight feet four inches in length
1t was a month before fully recovered from
the effects of that hugging; and to this day
there is something In the very name o.
snake that sends thrill Of horror to my
heart. of 3i'It ~ 'iH ~
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