Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1859-02-04
VOLUME 26, NO. H.

VI Nlc mou-ff, "h'ch Ho "ass - prOmptW W
defend. struck the beholiers with mingled
awe aud a-tonishment. Was IL the deliriun
Of approaching death, or tho madness Of
Wild attachment to the reptile companions
Of his wanderings, tina. fred his passion,
and led TO the spectacle which they had
just witnes,cd7 No one could tell, but all
looked on. amazed aud perpleIed at what
they saw and heard.
IL was with the snake tanner, now appar-
emily in the last extremity. a, with other
morials in the final hour-the ruling pas
sion proved strong in death. Being inter-
rogAted as to his feeling, aud hopes IN pros
peet Of impendins dissolution, he said that
he experienced neither hope nor fear 10 tho
contemplation Of the grea, hereafter. He
was not afraid to die. and desired To 1.-Two
only that be nigh, be able to prove the SUI
prgmaey Of bis art in the subjuga,ion Of tho
snake which had bitten him. That accom-
pli'hed, he cared neither how nor when the
When first bitten. ho had been induced.
by tho persuasion Of others. to swallow q
small drAught Of whi.key, which 10 deemed
valuable An,idotO in cases Of poisoning by
the bite OF snake. Bat no en,reaty could
prevail on him either to repca, the remedy
or to apply other specific, Known to msdi-
cal science. lie had unshaken confidence
IN the efficacy OF the Cedron bean aud
should that iail to cure him, he felt persua-
ded that 4, was fatcd for him then and there
To die, in spite Of all human AID 10 save
him.
by this time the virus had produced its
most fearful effect. upon hi. system. Tho
pain which b. endured became aguniIing in
the extreme. IIi' sight grew DIN, hi, pulse
sank to City feeble beats per minute. alter
nate ilushcs Of heat and cold passed over his
body. his articulation became thick aud in-
distinct, anh both the pallor and stupor OF
death seemed to he rapidly spreading over
both mind and holy. Unable longer to
walk or even TO SIC erect, he had fallen
PROSTATE upon the loor, aud vas lifted by
the hy',ander' and placed upon a low
couch. in the corner Of the bar.room Of tho
hotel, to die. Fortunately his reason re-
nained undis,urbe'l, and he continued to
hte OF and swallow portions OF the Cedrou
bean, which, he still believed and asserted,
had power to save lin. As Ie. i, had pro-
duecd no perecp,ibIe effects. 10 all appear.
ance the poison was steadily eneroaching
upon the citadel Of life. which seemed al.
ready to,tering bensath Its furious assault.
Several gentlemen Of tho medical proics-
sion. who we're present as SPECTATORS, now
intcrpos-d and begged to bs permitted to
use other remedies, as the patien, himself
could not fail 10 stS that his own aniido:s
had failed. Roa.el from hi. s;upor by tho
ii.credit thus attempted to bs thrown upon
hi' bean, the apparently dying man rePel-
lei. with vehement gesture and earnest
words, the insinnation against its efficacy,
protested hi. un'haken faith IN il. and con.
cludsd hi, clp,s,ulation with blunt rsru-
al To permi, other aniiio,es to DO applied,
at the same time biting of and swallowing
another portion OF the Ccdron bean.
The spectators could do no more than
leave him TO hl- fate. Gathering in a dense
-emi.circle clos, TO his couch, they stood,
silent aud with uncovered heads, awaiting
the departure ot human spirit to the bar
Of the final Judge. Stranger though ho
was to them all, aud dying, as they belisv-
ed, by rash persistence in the use Of an
Ineihcacions antldote, the fact that bo was
undergoing the extreme penalty common to
humanity on account OF the primal Sin,
made his fate and his suffering objects Of
Mysterious interest. for the moment, 20 er-
cry one in tie room. Death is not only the
leyeller and the sanetiGer, but its presence
makes all beholders feel Of kin to the victim
which it has seized and is bearing to the
jaws of tho remorseless grave.
Apparently exhausted by the effort which
he had just made IN speaking, the snake Ia
mor sank back upon his couch and remain
ed, Tor lew moments, silent and still. A
fresh paroxy'm Of pam having supsvened.
he groaned heavily, turned hi, face TO the
wall and began 10 mutter like ono who
talks in a disturbed sleep. Imperial rea-
son bad, a, length, tottered upon its throne,
and the wild delirum, produced by fever.
ed brain and a tortured body, had como
over the sufferer.
tie babbIed long aud ineoberen,ly Of
snakes and Cedron beans, performing his
ieats with the ono over again, and recount
ing the marvellous cures made in eastern
elmes with the other. As the shades Of
the mental eclipse grew dseper, he spoke
less and les, audIbly. until his voice sank
to whisper, and then, by degrees. his lips
ceased to move, aud he was, u all appear
ance. dead.
Aiter the lapse OF half an hour he began
to revive. Tue respiration deepened, the
palso quckened and swelled in volume, the
siupor lifted, like a cloud. from mind and
body, aud, in short time, he opened bis
eyes and spoke. Tho visor Of hi. constitu-
ton. or the remedial power OF his CedrOn
bean. but more probably both combined.
had ,riumphsd. He rapidly convalesced,
and IN Few day. was able to 20 about "
usual. His snakes had been left uudi'turb-
ed in their boxes, and he proposed to re-
sumo bis experiment OF tanning the one tha.