The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1874-05-13
Power Of Imagination.
THE STORY OF A SNAKE.

The following incident, which hap
pened to the writer long years ago,
is of Such thrilling nature as to
cause the blood to run cold in ones
veins at the bare mention OF 1t. The
account is founded on facts, and can
be vouched for by witnesses of un-
doubted integrity:
While sauntering out one morning
through an orange grove bordering
on one of be bayous Of Louisiana,
and where the warning hiss and rat
tie of that most venomous and dead
ly species of the reptile tribe are not
frequently heard. | came upon an
inviting SHADY nook, and being wea-
nv and fatigued by excess and the
heat of the sun, sought repose by
stretching myself at length upon the
glass, and while lying there, dream
ing day dreams and being refreshed
by gentle breezes, deep scented with
the fumes of the luscious Louisiana
orange, | naturally yielded to the
seductive influence Of Morpheus, into
whose arms l gracefully resigned
myself.
/ did not lie long thus, however,
before | was awakened by the sense
Of cold pressure about my neck.
| glanced downward to ascertain the
cause Of my disturbance, when, oh,
horror What met my gaze but a
huge rattlesnake, lying with his head
resting as complaeently and as Sc
renely as one can imagine, upon the
back Of my hand, which | had care
lessly thrown across my breast; the
rest Of his body being drawn over
my shonlder and wound around my
neck. His piercing black eyes "look-
ed daggers" into mine, and the dia-
bolical expression of his countenance
generally looked, if it did not say,
in as many words; ''the game is up
with you, now, my boy" which to
me was painfully too apparent just
then to entertain the least hope OF
escape. Fortunately, | displayed
greas presence of mind, and | knew
that to stir or to make an audible
noise was instant death to me.
thought that while there was life
there was hope at least, and setting
my wits to work, / began devising
schemes by which might make a
coup d. c'at on his snakeship and
effect an escape from nv impending
doom. All, the thought struck me,
had a sharp penknife in my pocket
Could | but slylv aase my hand down
into my pocke., sc, possession of the
knife, and by a rapid movement sew
er the head from the body, | would
be free But no the knife was in
my right hand pocket, and | dared
not move that hand from under his
head to get it. Then could | not
clutch him by the neck and body
and hold him? That would not do
either, for were | TO choke him he
would choke me.
There was but one recourse left
me, and that was TO lie perfectly quiet
and let events develop themselves;
perhaps some one would chance to
pass this way and frighten the mons
ter away. l remained wrapt thus
within the serpent's embrace 4 few
moments, which seemed ages, when
| heard the rustling Of grass as of APP
preaching footsteps. \ CLEAN of
hope now entered my mind. Per
haps it was some one sent by Provi-
dence to rescue me from my perilous
situation.
! was doomed to disappointment
at this time also, as my anticipated
rescuer was nothing more than a
powerless hog, which passed by with
in a few PAGES of where / Law, una
ware Of and unconcerned as to the
agony under which | was suffering.
A drowning man will catch at straws
in order TO save himself, it is said,
but | actually invoked the interces-
sion of that hog in silent prayer. /
prayed that he would come nearer
me in hopes that his presence would
frighten the serpent off; but he only
gave a grunt of recognition and went
his way The noise caused the
snake to move and draw himself
tighter about my neck. ] shudder-
ed from fear, or hope, i know not
which.
| had by this time grown very
weak ; my blood seemed to be get
ting as cold as that of the snake it.
self, and | lay there perfectly power
less, and, as if it were, dying by
understanding grim death in the
face, while his lev hand encircled nv
throat. My physical strength could
endure no more, and / swOoned
away from sheer fright and eXhaus-
ton. The supreme moment had
now arrived. In reviving from my
iainting spell i suppose ] irritated
The snake in some way, as he had
loosened himself from my neck, and
coiling himself upon nv breast, with
his ominous forked tongue darting
;orth, stood ready for the attack |
uttered yell, at which he sprang at
my face with terrific force, and as |
felt his jaws close on me, and his
poisonous sting enter my flesh, L
awoke from my horrible dream, in a
state of cold perspiration, amid the
merrlment and laughter of several
of my lady acquaintance, one of
whom had been tickling my neck
with a straw.