M'arthur Democrat. (McArthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1853-1865, 1857-09-17


gradual freeze of vein by vein, thro'
out her person. At that moment {
rustling was heard in tile branches o
the tree beside her, and the bid, whicl
Ihad repeatedly uttered a single CRY
above her, as it were of warning, flew
away from his station with a scream
more piercing than ever. This move
ment had the effect for which it seem
ed intended, of bringing back to her {
portion ofthat consciousness she haC
been nearly deprived of before. She
strove to move from the beautiful bu
terrible presence, but for awhile shc
strove in vain, The rich, star-likC
glance still riveted her own, and the
subtle fascination kept her bound -
The mental energies, however, in the
moment of their greatest trial, now
gathered suddenly to hor aid, with O
desperate effort, but with a feeling Of
most annoying uncertainty and dread,
she succeeded 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 denied her,
With her movement came, however,
the full development of the powerful
spell and dreadful mystery before her.
" AS her feet receded, though but a
single pace, to the tree against which
she now rested, tie audiJly Grticulq-
ted ring, like that of the watch when
wound with the verge broken, an.
nounced the nature of the splendid
yet dangerous presence, in the form of
a monster rattlesnake, now but few
feet before her, lying coiled at the bot
tom ola beautiful shrub, with which,
to her dreaming eye, many Of its own
glorious hues had been associated
She was at length conscious enough
to perceive and feel her danger; but
terror had deprived her of the strength
necessary to fly from her dreadful en-.
emy. There still glared the eye, beau
tifully bright and piercing, fixed upon
her own; and, seemingly in the spirit
of sport, the insidious reptile slowly
unwound himself from his coil, but
only to wind himself up again into his
muscular rings, his great, fat head
rising IN the midst, and S1Oeoly nod.
ding as IL aCere toOar9 her, the eye
StiIIpeerin9 into her oacn, tie rattle
slightly ringing at intervals, and
giving forth that paralyzing sound,
which once heard, is remembered for
ever. The reptile all this while being
conscious Of, and to sport with while
seeking to excite her terrors. Now,
with its flat head, distented mouth,
and curving neck, would it dart forth
its long form toward hOr-its fatal
teeth, unfolding on either side Of its
upper jaws, seeming to threaten her
with Miscellaneous death, while its
powerful eye shot forth glances of that
fatal fascination, Indignantly bright,
which, by paralyzing with a moved
form of terror and of beauty, may
readily account for the spell which it
possesses of binding the feet of the
timid, and denying even to fear the
of flight. Could she have
fled9 She felt the necessity, but the
power of her limbs was gone and
there still it lay, coiling and uncoil-
ing, its arched neck glittering like
ring of bronzed copper, bright and lu-
rid, and, the dreadful beauty of its
oye still fastened, eagerly contempla-
ting the victim, while the pendulOus
rattle still rung tie death note,
as if to prepare the conscious mind for
the fate which is momentarily ap-
the blow. Mean'chiIe, the
stiffness became death-like, aclth all
surrounding objects. The bird had
gone with its scream and rush. The
breeze was silent. The vines ceased
to wave. The leaves family quivered
On their stems. The serpent once
more lay still, but the eye was never
once turned away from the victim
Its corded muscles are all in a oil.-l
They have but to unclasp suddenly,
and the dreadful foils will be upon
her in full length, and the fatal teeth
will strike, and the deadly venom
which they secrete will mingle with
the life blood in her veins. .-
"The terrified damsel, her full con-
sciousness restored but not her
strength, feels all her danger. She
sees that the sport Of the terrible rep
tile IS at an end. She cannot n0U
mistake the horrid expression of has
'ye. She tries to scream, but her
voice died away to a feeble gurgling
IN her throat. Her tongue is paral- |
yzed-her lips sealed ; once more she
strives for flight, but her limbs refuse
heir Office. She has nothing left of
ife but its fearful consciousness. 1t
S her despair, that, as last effort she
to screams single wild cry,
oreed from her by this accumulated |