The Lancaster ledger. [volume] (Lancaster, S.C.) 1852-1905, 1858-04-14

result was, that l got another blow upon
the mouth.
But The moment OF need was At hand.
l fel. the coils growing tighter and tigh
ter around my body, and my breath was
getting weak. A severe pain was begin.
Mug to result from the pressure, and I
saw :bat the snake would soon have
length enough for another turn. He
was now SO that tho centre of his body
was no larger than his head The black
skin was drawn to tension that seemed
its utmost, and yet I could tell By the
working Of the large hard scales upon
his belly, that he was drawing himself
tighter still
Stricken with absolute terror, gssped,
what shall l doi' What could do9-
The enemy Of whom had at frst held
so little thought. was killing me-killing
me slowly, surely-and had no hope !
!, a stout, strong man, was being actually
held al the deadly will of black snake,
My breath was now short, faiut and quick
my hands and arms were swollen, and nv
fingers were nunbed I had let 90 Of
the snakes neck, and now he carried the
upper part Of his body in a graceful curve,
his head vibrating from side to side with
an undulaLlng motion Of extreme grace.
fulnsss and fascination.
AT length / staggered was loos
Ing my strength rapidly, and the pain Of
my body had become e1crucisting. A
dizzy sensation was in my head, a faint.
ness in my heart, and a pain, the most
agonizipg, in my body. The snake now
bad three feet Of bis body free. He bad
drawn himself, certainly, three feet lon.
ger than before. lie darted his head un.
der my right arm, and 'brough it up un
der my right shoulder, and pressing his
lower jaw firmly down there, he gave
Audden wind that made me groan with
pain. Each moment was an age Of ago,
ny-each second etep nearer to death
My knifol Oh, il ! could reach il -
Why mott My arms were free. Mercyl
why had / not thought Of that before
when my hands had some strength in
them l collected allmy remaining pow.
er, and made the attempt. My trowsers
were Of blue cotton s,utf, and very strong.
] could not tear it! I grasped The cloth
upon the inside Of my thigh and gave
my last atom Of strength TO the effort !
The stitches gave way! This result gave
me hope, and hope gave me power. An
other pull with both hands, and the pock
ct was laid 5are ! With vii the force
could command--with hope Of liSe-of
home-of everything loved on earth in
the effort caught the pocket upon the
inside, and bore down upon It. There
was cracking Of threads--a sound Of
tearing cloth, and--my kniia was IN my
hand
With one quick, nervous movement, I
pressed the keen edge upon the tense
skin, and drew It across. With a dull
tearing snap the body parted, and the
snake fell to the ground in two pieces
staggered to the boat reached il, and
there sank down, knew nothing more,
until | heard voice calling me by name.
My father stood over me with terror de
picted on his countsusnce. told him
my story as best could. He told me
that he had heard me CITY, and at once
started off In the large boa. after me.
had laid there over half al hour when lie
found me.
When we reached home, the snake
was found TO be eight feet four inches in
length. II was month before fully re-.
covered from that hugging, and to this
day there is something in the very name
OF SNAKE y that sends thrill OF horror
through my heart.