Fremont journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County [Ohio]) 1853-1866, 1860-03-16

Father OF all mercies, for His protecting
providence, and their daily supplica6ons
and thanksgivings were never RENTED Our
ing thor lives, which continued ill thoy had
raised a promising family, aud accumulated
handsome property to leave them as
memento of parental affection. Such
mother would not have thrown her children
10 wild beasts, il she had known that that,
and no other way, would save her own life,
but would have perished with them. Who
can hold in too high estimation mothers
love aud who has ever paid her for all her
cares and sorrowsi'
SNAKES.
In recouuting the hair-brcadth escapes of
the early settles from the rapacity Of the
wild beasts which then infested our forests
it may not be out Of place to give some ac-
count of the snake, and am again indebted
TO Dr. Braiuard's manuscript for what fol-
lows:
"That most loathsome, lurking, and de-
testable of all the beasts ofour world, whose
form was assumed by the adversary Of the
human race, to mar or totally to destroy
the happiness of intellectual man, has not
proved in our fair land to be very deleteri-
Gus or annoying. The two species most to
be dreaded, were the large, spotted and bril-
iiantly coated, and the smaller, with a dark
hide, equally armed with poison, and with
rattles to give their signal of attack The
fear Of encountering them often retarded
the steps of the traveller, when passing
through trails known to be infested with
them. 1t is bclived by many they have the
power Of fascination; that by this means
they secure and take their prev, as quails,
squirrels, rabbits &c., have been found in
their elastic and expansive bodies when
they have been killed, believing they could
not have taken without first decoying them
into their distended mouth and throat and
an old lady is of the opinion they can exert
charm or influence over the moro innocent
and inexperienced of the human family
In proof of which, she AYERS, that having
sent her little son to pick up some small
wood for the oven, he staying longer than
she expected, she went out to call him,
when behold, to her astonishnent and af-
fright, he was standing within few feet of
an enormous rattle snake, which had eleva.
ted its head to a considerable height, slowly
turning and twisting its body, displayingall
the brilliant colors Of which it was possessed,
while its eyes were steadfastly and unalter-
ably fixed on those of the boy whoappeared
almost in trance, intently gazing at the
lmpudent reptile, and about to throw down
his wood, approach and have play with
it. She verify believes, had she not scream
cd oV,f Tho ,,,etort H.
moment more they would have been in
close contact. The result she would not
pretend to guess, but from what she had
been told by an old female friend, she was
rather of the opinion it might not have been
serious for she had said, as matter of fact,
that her little girl had been noticed for
many days in succession to take her cup of
mush and milk out of doors to eat it, and
returning much pleased, which excited curl
osity at length, to watch where she went,
and how she passed the time. Observing
her to sit down by the side of large rock,
it was resolved to wait till she should finish
her repast. Drawing little closer, rattle
snake was seen dipping his head in the
dish, while her child was using her spoon
to get her share. Without discretion and
care (she still observed) this horrid sight
might have proved fatal to the child; it
was thought best to let her make her es-
cape as on former occasions, they therefore
did not let her know she had been discovered
When her stock, say they, were exhausted,
she returned to the house as usual, when
they inquired of her where she had been,
and what she had seen or been feeding
The questions were all answered after the
manner of an innocent and fearless child.
She said the snake was pretty, and that she
loved it. They endeavored to alarm her
fears, but in vain. There was close watch
made for the reptile, and in few days he
was dispatched, the child meantime, having
been kept in the house to eat her allowance,
and who wept, when she was told the snake
was killed"
(To be Continued)