Indiana American. [volume] (Brookville, Ind.) 1833-1861, 1857-09-25
WHOLE NUMBER 1888.

his great fiat head rising IN the midst,
and slorly noddiag as Il rere torard
her, the eye still pesring into her orn,
the rattle slightly ringing at intervals,
and giving forth that paralyzing
sound, which once heard is remein-
bered forever. The reptile all this
while being conscious OF, and to sport
with while seeking to excite her ter
rors. Now, with its fat head, dis
tended mouth, and curving neck,
would 1t dart forth its long form to
warn her-its fatal teeth, unfolding
on either side ofits upper jaws, seem
ing to threaten her with instantaneous
death, while it's powerful eye shot
forth glances Of that fatal fascination,
Indignantly bright, which by par
alyzing with a moved form Of terror
and of beauty, may readily account
for the spell which IL possesses OF
binding the feet Of the timid, and
denying even TO fear the privilege Of
flight. Could she have fed 7 She
felt tho necessity, but tho power oi
her limbs was gone; and there still
II lay, coiling and uncoiIing, lie
archsd neck gIIttering like ring Of
bronzed copper, bright and lurid, and
tho dreadful beauty OF lis eye still
fastened, eagerly contemplating It's
victim, while tho psndutous raffte sfiti
rlag ths death note, 40 II 10 prepare
tho conscious mind tor tho fate which
10 momontarily approaching the
blow. !ueaalrAlis, The stiiiness became
death-fikc eifh all surrounding objects.
The bird had gono with its scream
aud rush. Ths breeze was silent.
The vines ceased TO wave. The Ieaves
qulvered hIntly on their stems. The
serpent once more lay still, but the
eye was never turned away from the
Victim. It's corded muscles are all la
coil. They have but 10 nnelasp
suddenly, and tho dreadful iolls will
be upon her In full length, and the
fatal teeth will strike, AMI the deadly
venom which they socrete will mlngle
with the life blood In her veins.
"The terrified damsel, her full con.
scioueness restored but not her
strength, feels all her danger. Sac
sees that the sport Of the terrible reptile Is
at an end, She cannot ao,o mistake
the horid expression Of his eye. She
tries 10 scream, but her voice died
away 10 feeble gurglng in her
throat. Her tongue 10 paralyxed-
has lima aaalad aa.a An, o.... IA |. al x..a
for hight but her limbs refuse their
office. She has nothing left OF lIio
but It's fearful consciousness. IL Is
In her despair, that. as last effort
she succeeds TO scream-a single wild
cry, forced from her by this accumu.
lated agony she sinks down upon
the grass before her enemy--her eyes,
however, still open, and still looking
upon those which directs forever upon
them. She sees him approach, now
advancing, now receding; now swell-
Ing IN every part with something like
anger, while his neck arched beauti-
fully, like that of wild h.rse under
the curb, until at length, tirod as IL
were Of play, like the cat with her
victim, sne sees the mock CROWN 4
larger, and becoming completely
browed as if 10 strike-the huge jaws
uncloning almost directly above her
the long, tubulatcd fang, charged with
venom, protruding from the oaver-
nous mouth--and she sees no moro
Insensibility came 10 her aid, and she
lay almost lifeless under the folds OF
the very monster"
Nothing In ancient or modern
literature 10 moro strikingly con.
ceived, or vividly described tnan this
scene. At this moment, when we
feel that the summer air Is unchanged
with this evil presence, and nature
aghast In her solitudes under those
human pangs, the arrow OF q young
savage transfxes tho neck OF the
reptile, and thus turns aside the
deadly fang. The accessories arc all
in keeping-the snake-like vine, the
golden and crimson blooms, tho shad.
ows Of the old woods. the cry of tho
bird, all enhance tho sense Of the
beautiful and remote, whilo the touches
which we havo italicised hoighten the
effect, till we feel tho glitterIng eye OF
the boast, and its terrible undulations
rise image like 10 tho mind, and VIC
sec how all the benignities of nature
arc at war with tho spirit of the
reptile.