The farmer and mechanic. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1877-1885, 1878-09-26

DEADLY BLOWING VIPER IN A
DARK ROOM.
A terrible calamity befel Doctor
Pauthamus and his lovely and ac-
complished daughter Eleanor,
Tuesday evening, In Wilmington,
Pa. 1t seems that d couple Of
weeks ago two tramps captured a
pair of enormous reptiles, which
the Doctor pronounced to be of
that deadly species known as
blowing viper" The Doctor,
having a desire to contribute some
thing that would commend itself
from this district, purchased the
reptiles, intending to forward them
to the Geological Gardens In Phlla-
delphia. Blding their transporta-
ton the snakes were placed in a
large glass jar, the top being care
fully secured by a covering Of wire
gauze. The jar was then placed on
an elevated bracket in a remote
corner of the doctors office. Last
evening the Doctor and his daugh-
ter were returning from IL visit to
tie country, and the Doctor having
occasion to make up Il prescription
they both entered his office, the
Doctor lighting ID lamp. And now
comes the terrible denOuement. A
large owl swept in through the
tlansom above the door, and flew
with the speed of an arrow against
the lamp, knocking it over and
scattering the oil and broken glass
in every direction. The bird
seemed frantic, flying and dashing
i'll every direction, while a general
crash of bottles and glasses was
heard on every side. Meantime
the Doctor had lit another match,
but just III time to receive his
daughter, who sprang with d wild
CRY TO his arms; IN the darkness he
gathered his darling to his arms,
and IN a moment realized the situa-
ton. The owl had dislodged the
jar from the bracket, and the vi
pcrs were at large. Speedily he
groped his way, calling loudly for
h Ip, which, the hour being late,
was slow to put in an appearance.
They seemed slow, but scarcely five
minutes elapsed until full Il dozen
ldies and brave men wer on the
spot. No living hand IA indite
the horrors OF the next few minutes.
Miss Eleanor, who had been insen-
sIble since she sprang to her faith
ers arms, was now being cared for
by the ladies, when one simultane-
Gus shrek almost froze the blood
and paralyzed each nerve-yet not
all , 1t was Thomas Lutz's hand
that seized the glittering reptile by
the neck and choked its .earful
fangs apart. 1t had bitten the
lady midway between the ankle and
the knee. She was now carried
Immediately to her home, where
every known antidote fer poison
was administered by her frantic
father, but all to no avail. She
died at half-past six o'clock this
morning. After taking the poor
unfortunate young lady home one
of the men, knowing there had been
two snakes, returned to the Office
and soon despatched the other. An
examination showed it's two large
fangs missing. This led to the
conjecture that possibly the Doctor
had been bitten. A hasty return
and close examination resulted in
finding the fangs in the thick leath-
ers of the Doctors boots, who, be-
ing so alarmed for his daughter,
had not the slightest knowledge of
being struck. The corpse of the
Young lady has swollen to enOr-
NOUS dimensions, while her com
plexion is i'll harmony with the
spots and general coloring of the
snake. The larger of the snakes
measured four and a half feet, the
smaller four feet. They are pro-
nounced by u old people the
largest of the species. 1t was the
shorter one of the two that bit the
young lady.