Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1867-10-22
From the Boiling Green D.mOorat. s,h.I
Two Children Bitten By a Rattle
Snake and third Drowned in the
Same Hour,
Same Hour

DdI16
Never in our experience as journalists has
been our duty to chronicle an occurrauce
more hOrtid in details than the one We are
about to relate.
The sad affair that left widowed mother
childless, and for the time being almost
beTeft of reason, happened about the 10th
uls., in the adjoining county of Allen, =
short distance from the Warren county line,
and in the vicinity of Authony's mill. The
heartreudinS details, as related to us By
persons OF unquestiOnab!e veraeity, are about
these:
Some two months since Mrs. Blankcnship.
lady OF responsibility, lost her husband
from disease, and was LETT with three child,cD.
two Interesting boys and little infant girl,
just large enough to walk alone and br%niIc
the lonely hours OF the mother with its
innocent Prattie. On the 10th, the mother.
Mrs Blankenship, for the purpose of vr,sh;pc,
clothes, repaired TO the branch near the bouse
IN the locality referred to, taking her three
children with her, the house dog following,
behind. She had been engaged In wasbins1
but short time when the deg was heard
barking necessarily ON the hill near by.-
Thinking that the do had possibly trced n
raccoon OF had n rabbit at bay. the two little
/ boys proposed going at Orce to secure tho
! game. With the mothers consent the little
fellows started off in high glce Alas, better
had they never been born. On reaching
the spot where the dog was barking they saw
short distance from the dog Il large object
colIed at the foot of a stump, in a hostile
attitude, keeping the dog at bay. They looked
! but moment lager only to capture the,
] S1ppDSa5 rau,n and MT FL;
not knowing the nature Of the prey, they an
preached the hidcuuS monster that in fatality
of attack ''Outvenums all the worms of the
Nile" The oldest Of the two boys approached
first, with lis little hands ouistretchcd and
h's little face ag!ow with the prospect Of his
prize, lie said, Ill get him brother" OpeI
step more aud he rushed to death more
terrible and speedy than were the fortunes of
Laacoon. With one dart of his iorked tongue
with one death-rattle Of his tail. the huge
rattle suake-tOr it was nothing lcss-drcw
back his scaly folds and with one dart forward
planted his evenomed iaugs into the flesh Of
the boy, and left the deadly poison coursing
through his young veins. Again and again
was the boy bitten by the fatal reptile till he
tell exhausted in the coils OF the monster.
The other li;tle fellow rushed forward TO
the relief of his little brother, aud he also
received the deadly iaugs of the serpcn, in
several places. The screams ofthe boy alarm
ed the mother, who was still washing at the
branch, and leaving her baby girl she ran
irantically to the spot. What i sight there
met her gaze. Pgrrd with poison, swollen
and black, and bitten in many places. one Of
her boys already dead, and the other dying
from the same cause. The snake had crawl.
ed away, and the living boy lived Just long
enough to tell the circumstances of their
death. Overwhelmed with an intensity of
agony which mothers alone can feel. she re-
manned at the fatal spot a short time when
she bethought her Of her little girl at the
branch and hurried back.
On reaching the spot, horrible rs it may
seem, she found that the little girl had walked
TO the wash-tub, into which she had fallen
head foremost and was drowned. and it too
was gone The mothers cup OF misery was
full; not one drop could be added BcIcit
Of children, aud Of almost reason. she sank
underline accumulated horrors Of the hour.
Assistance was procured aud the heart
crushed woman and the remains of her nest
lings were taken charge Of and cared for
\ short time after large ratrlc-snake, with
thirteen rattlcs, was killed near the spot where
the boys were bitten.
The event created profound sensation in
the community, and has scarcely parellcl
even IN the exciting annals Of our carly aud
hardy pioneers.