The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1874-05-22
ROVER or I5IAGINATI0E.
THE STORY OF A SNAKE.

The following incident which happened
to the writer long years ago, is of such a
thrilling nature rs to cause the blood TO run
cold in ones veins at the bare mention oi
It. The account is founded on Iacss: ana
can be vouched fer by witnesses 0i uh-
doubted integrity !
While sauutering out one morn
through an orange grove ooFUeIinS on o,
of the bayous of LOUISIANA ana Where uLe
warning hiss and rattle of-thaJ most Veno-
r1,oIIs and deadly species of the reptile tribe
are not unfrequCutly heard I came upon an
inviting shady nook, and being weary and
fatigued bv excess and the heat of the sun,
I sought Tepose by stretching myself at
length upon the grass, and while lying
there, dreaming day dreams and being re-
freshcd by gentle breezes, deep scented
with the fumes of the luscious Louisiana
orange, T naturally yielded to the seductive
inhueneo 9f Morpheus, into whose arms /
gracefully resigned myself.
did not lie long thus, however, before
I was awakened by the sense Of cold pres
sure about my neck. glanced downward
to ascertain the cause Of my disturbance,
when oh. hOYrOri what met my gaze but
a huge rattlesuaIle, lying with his head
resting as ComplaCently and as SeTenely as
one canimagine, upon the back Of my head,
which I had care essly thrown across my
breast; the rest of his body being drawn
over nv shoulder and wound around my
neck His piercing black eyes Cooked
daggers'' into mine, and the dabolical ex-
preston of his countenance generally look
ed. if it did not say, in as many words
'Thc game is up with you, now, my. boy"
which 10 me was painfully too apparent
lust then to entertain the least hope Of
escape Fortunately, | displayed great
presence Of mind, and l knew shat to stir
or to make an audible noise was instant
death to me.
l thought that while there was life there
was hope at Least ana setting my wits -
work. [ began devisiG !" schemes by which
might make comp d Cr,'h on MS shaEesAlP
and effect an escape from ~ I'M Ilpe-lu-l's
doom. All the thought struc. ms -, l''T
sharp penknife in my pocket - o---u l
but slyly ease my hand down into my po @N-
ct, get possession of the knife, and by =
rapid movement sever the head from the
body, I would be free But no the knife
was in my right hand pocket, and | dared
not move that hand from under his head
10 get it. Then could I not clutch him by
the neck and body and hold him? That
49, Id not do either, for were l to choke
hin, la you'd choke me.
Tb.,a ,,-ae hut one resource left me. and |
fbat was 10 lie ''erfectly quiet and let I
events deveIon tben,>, YES perhaps some !
one would chance TO pass Sols way ana |
frighten the monster away. i renamed
wraut thus within the serpent embrace . I
--~.,aA ages, when j /,
fe y moments, whicn
heard The rustling of grass as OF approach
ing footsteps. A gleam Of hope now enter
cd nv mind Perhaps it was some one !
cont Lv Providence to rescue me from my |
perilous situation.
I was doomed to disappointment at TINS |
time also, as my anticipated reScuer was /
nothing more Chan a pOwerieSs hog, Whlcn
passed by within q few PAGES OF where
Law. unaware Of and uncOncerned as TO the
AGONY under which l was suffering. y
fPovning man will catch at straws in order
a. 80 himself, it is said, but l actually
;T,oI al tho n, recession Of that hog IN 81
lent nraver | pravcd that he would come
nearer errne i'll nopes that h. - iesSlIOT "o.',> "-
fHghteu the serpent of; but NJ oliiS s"yo
grunt Of recognition and went H. ""s
The noise caused the snake to move a
draw himself tighter about my neck. J
shuddored from fear, or hope, know not
which.
had by this time grown very weak; my
blood seemed to be getting as cold as that
Of the snake itself, and ! lay there perfectly
powerless, and, as it were, dying 10y inches
staring grin death in the face, While ms
lev hand encircled my throat My physical
strength could endure no more, aud L
svooned away from sheer fright and ex-
laustion. The supreme moment had now
arrived In reviying from my fainting
spell I suppose initiated the snake in some
way, as he had loosened himself from my
neck. and coiling himself upon my breast,
with his omiuous forked tongue daTting
forth, stood ready for the attack. l utter
ed a veil at which he spTang at my face
with terrific force, aud as l felt his jawt
close on me, and his poisonous sting ente
my flesh, awoke from my horrible dream
in a state OF cold prespiration, amid tn
merriment and laughter of several of m
lady acquaintance, one of whom had bee
tickling my neck with a straw.