The Wyandot pioneer. (Upper Sandusky, Ohio) 1853-1868, 1867-04-04
For the Pioneer.l
Snakes +! Snakes! Snakes f!

Mr.. EDITOR Not long since we
read an article in one of the papers, that,
in the summer of 1866 little girl, aged
IL years, with light heart and joyous
pes-taking with her small tin pail
and tin cup-wento out from her home,
in the state of New York, to gather ber-
ries, not thinking that she never more
would return to gladden. her mothers
heart But strange to say she never
did. Search, long and earnest, was
made for the lost and innocent one--pa-
rents could not seemingly give up the
search-the whole community came to
the assistance Of the disconsolate fam
ily, but all to no avail The lost could
not be found Months passed ,and the
storms of winter had swept over the
land, while before them had fallen the
more tender vegetable growth of the
summer past.
Balmy breezes and warmer sun
caused the snow to pass away and warm
ed to life anew reptiles long dormant in
their rocky dens.
At such time, and when weeds had
yielded to the weight of snow and leaves
had fallen from their little branches,
bringing out to view the more secluded
spots of nature, passer by discovered
at last the resting place Of that little
innocent! Itwas secluded spot, where
it is supposed to rest from her labors,
and free from the heat of the sun, she
had resorted.
The little cup and little pail, with
her little bones were there discovered
together, while several monster serpents
lay coiled up amongst them as guardi-
ans of the remains Of one whom they
had destroyed!
On examination, and very close by
the little bones, was found large hole
passing downward into the bank, and
which was at once pronounced to be
the serpents den Balls saturated with
kerosene, then fired, were rolled into
the hole, and soon came forth the hid
eous monsters to the number of nearly
one hundred!
No doubt but as that little innocent
child sat resting from her labors in ma
ture's cooling shade, not dreaming OF
GllC oo hO1tl AtI3 AiOI VI A/1thUH
those monsters wrapped her in their
fatal coils and yielded only when Death
came to her relief, and then but to fe0sl
upon the flesh of the little innocent
child while father, mother and friends
were so earnestly seeking its wherea
bouts
How terrible the thought that one
child shonld thus be deprived of life
and with what determination woulo
those endangered seek to destroy the
last Of those Shiny reptiles after having
thus destroyed the happiness of one
family, lest others too might suffer
whilst all were in, danger J. Balls O.
living fire were hurled in their hiding
place, and they rushed out, Kissing bu
to die! Man curse, as well as God S
rested upon them, and death alone
could then satisfy mans avengins
hand! The work was not done unit
fire brought forth no more, and tn
opening to the den was closed.
These were but 'ssnahes," and haC
taken but one life-the life of dea
child, and, therefore, vengeance wa
meted out to them. Fire drove then
into the arms Of death, and their mur
derous work-though only senseles
"snakes," was ended!
There on that sunny slope. hiddel
from view and public gaze, behind na
ture's inviting shelter,was a single De
of poisonous reptiles, cunningly await
ing the innocentchild that they Nigh
not only feast upon the gathered fruit
Of her labor, but, as well, upon he
tender flesh, whilst here from behind
SCORE or more of artificial screens, no
only the innocent child but the father
brother, son and friend are invite
from sunshine or storm; at MONDAY O
midnight; alone or in squads; innC
cence or guilt; with murderers 0
thieves with towards or knaves wit
all that is bad, to drink that which is q
! poisonous as q serpent, until, from tn
use Of cupsaof fre.they too ee"snakes
in natures most beautiful places!
Those screens fall not under th
frosts and SHOWS Of winter-no, the
stand throughout the year, and benin
them for paltry gain, wrung from til
hands of most needy humanity. stand
So faa's co-laborer measuring out tha
which s'biteth like serpent and stino
eth like an adder in ten cent parcels
and although more slowly, yet as ces
totnly, sending father, son, brother an