Delaware gazette. [volume] (Delaware, Ohio) 1855-1886, 1858-03-05
CHARMED BY A RATTLE LESN AXE:
BY W. GILMORE sIaas

young girl charmed by rattleSnake, one OF
the most remarkable and beautiful ever PEN
ned:
"Before the maiden, rose little clump of
bushes--bright tangled leaves Haunting
wide, in giossiest green, with vines trailing
over them, thickly decked with blue and crm-
son flowers. Her eye communed yacantly
with these; fastened by a star-like shining
glance, subtle ray that shot out from the
circle of green leaves. seeming to be their
very eye, and sening out thick lustre that
seemed to stream over the space between,
and find its way into her own eyes. Very
piercing and beautiful was the subtle bright
ness of the sweetest, strongest power! And
now the leaves quivered, it seemed TO float
away, only to return; and then. the vines
waved and swung away in fantastic mazes
unfolding every charming variety of form
and color 10 her gaze; but the star-liBe eye
was ever steadfast, bright, and gorgeous
cleaning in their midst, and still fastened
with strange fondness upon her own. How
beautiful with wondrous intensity, did it di-
late, growing larger and larger and more lus-
trous with every beam it sent forth. And
her own glance became intense, fixed, also;
but dreaming with which conjured
up the widest fancies, terribly beautiful, that
took her soul away from her, and wrapt it
about as with spell. She would have fled
she would Lave fown-but she had no
power to move. The will was wanting to
her fight. She felt that she could have
bent forward, to pluck the gem-like thing
from the bosom of the leaf, which irradiated
with its bright, white CLEAN; but ever, as
she stretched forth her hand, and bent for
ward, she heard a shril scream and rash
of wings above her scream as the
mocking- bird makes, when angrily it raises
It's dusty chest. and Gaps its wings furiously
against its slender sides. Such scream
seemed like a. warning, and, though yet un-
awakened To full consciousness il startled
her, and forbade her effort. More than once
in her survey of this strange object, had she
heard that shrill note Of warning, pro-
dueing to her mind the same conscious
ness of an evil presence. But the star-like
eye was still upon her own-a small bright
eye, quick like that of a bird, not steady in
its place. and observant seemingly of hers;
now darting forward with all the clustering
leaves about it, and shooting up toward her,
as If wooing her to seize. At another mo-
ment, riveted to the vine which lay around
| it, it would whrl round and round dazzlngly
bright and beautiful, even as a torch waving
shurriedy by night in the hands of some play
| ful boy but in all this time the glance was
never taken from ntr own there it grew
fixed, a very principle of light; and such a
bright, burning. piercing fascinating CLEAN,
such gathers in Vapors above old graves,
| cx,d As, Il
directly into her eye dazzling her gaze, de-
| feating its sense of discrimination, and
strangely confusing its sense of perception.
'.She felt dizzy; for as she looked a cloud
OF colors-bright gay, various colors-foat-
ed and hung like much drapery around
| the single object that had SO secured her
attention and spell bound her feet Hel
limbs felt momently more and more insecure
her blood grew cold, and she felt the grad
ual freeze of vein by vein throughout hel
| person. At that moment a rustliBg was
heard in the branches of the tree beside her
and the bird which had repeatedly uttered ,
/ single cry above her, as it were warning
flew away from its station with scream
more piercing than ever. This movement
had the effect for which it seemed intended
consciousness she had nearly been deprive
of before. She strove to move from th
beautiful, terrible presence, but for a whil
she strove in vain. The rich star-like glanc,
, still riVated her own, and the subtle fascina
ton kept her bound The mental energies
however, in the moment of greatest tria
| now gathered suddenly to her aid, and wit
desperate effort, but with feeling of mos
annoying uncertainty and dread she sue
ceded partially in the att empt, andthrew he
arms backward, her hands grasping the tire
: feeble, tottering, and depending upon it fo
that support which her own limbs almost en-
tirely denied her. With her movemen
came, however the full development of th
powerful spell and dreadful mystery befor
her.
Gas her feet receded, though but singl
pace, to the tree against which she now res
ted, the audibly articulated ring, like that c
a watch when wound up with the verge bro
ken, announced the nature of the splend
yet dangerous presence, in form of a monste
rattlesnake, now but few before her, lyin
: coiled at the bottom of beautiful shrub, wit
: :, which to her. dreaming eye, many of its ow
i glorious hues had been associated. She WI
: at length conscious enough to perceive al
feel her danger; but terror had deprived h
i of the strength necessary TO fly from h
dreadful enemy. There still glnred the ey
'r beautifully bright and piercing, fixed upt
y her own, and, seemingly in the. spirit
!, sport, the insdous reptile slowly unwour
y himself from his coil, but only to wind hir
r sell up again in his muscular rings, his gre
!, fiat head rising in the midst, and slowly no
III ding as though towards her, the eye st
Y peering into her own, the rattle slightly rim
ing at intervals, and giving forth that pal
lying sound which once heard is RENE mbe
ed forever. The reptile all this while seeI
e. ed to be conscious of, and to sport with, al
Oh seeking to excite, her terrors. Now, w
hi its flat head, distended mouth, and curVi
ID neck, would it dart forth its long form
Nv warn her, of Its fatal teeth, unfolding
m either side of its upper jaws, seeming
rts threaten her with instantaneous death, VIII
lie it's powerful eye shot forth glances of Il
) fatal fascination, Indignantly bright, whi
* by paralyzing by novel form of terror g
nd of beauty, may readily account for the ST
TX which it possesses of binding the feet of
IS, timid, and even denying to fear the privil'
of of fight.
ith "Could she have fed! She felt the nee
ny sity but the power OF her limbs was go
tu- and there it still lay, coiling and uncoili