The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-03-21
IN 4 pEN OF RATTLESNAkES.
TIE Terrible Adventure Of a schseI t'irl In
the Mountains.


A Young lady in this city, says the
Reading (pa,) EdQic, has received the
following letter from her friend who IN
ut boarding-school, giving n thrilling
account of her adventure with u huge
rattlosnake:
DEAR MAa0R weeks ago YES
teriHy afternoon two young ladies be-
sides myself. who had gone ont in u
walking party with one uf the teachers
at tho school in this place, strollcd of
from the rest of the party, and, losing
our way, were unable for some time a.
tell where We were. as the woods and
underwood were sn thick that the fur-
ther we penetrated II the more difficult
our passage became We wandered 10
and fro, and for long time, until al
most overcome with fatigue, when We
sat down ON huge boulder to recover
our lost strength. Looking at our
watches We found that We had been on
the mountain nearly six hours, and felt
hungry. distressed and tired. IL WAS
about i've o'clock N the afternoon, aud
twilight was fast approaching. "Oh,
hut for something Ia cat, my com
panion sand, "and then we could strug-
gle on and try 10 fiud the school again.
She appeared to he the picture of dcs-
pair. We were sitting some feet above
the ground aluneside oi hugc oak tree,
and presently | felt something moving
IN my neck, lplaced my hand 10 NV
neck 10 remove IL, when, horrible 10 re-
late. | gulsped something round and
soft, which hlssrd like AN adder. | tried
10 pull Il from my ncck, but It wrggled
and squlrmed, and my companion. see
ing the monster on my body, shrieked
and almost tainted. just al that mo-
meut the head made dart at my breast,
with mouth wide open and tongue elon-
gated, and kissing death-like and hor-
rble sound. Ny left hand was about
SIX inches from It's head, and. i'll order
10 prevent being bitten, l graspei il
right behind the ewes with my right
hand. Holding IL in this way for sew
eral seconds, my companion shrieked tn
ME tO throw the snake from me. | tried
10 do SO, but was powerloss, being, as il
seemed to me, transdxei or charmed 10
the spot by the horrld ewes OF the mon
ster. tried 10 talk, but my jaws would
not open, and my tongue appeared stiff.
felt the cold sweat trickhng down my
back, and large drops OF perspiration
stood out on lIy forehead NV face was
as white AS the driven snow, and | could
neither move nor talk, but seemed to be
as stiff as post Ii makes me shudder.
as l write, 20 think of the stare Of the
reptile
Annie, my companion, seeing my dan
gerous situation, screamed for help.
She seemed 10 have been bereft Of rea-
son, for instead OF coming IL nv assist
ance she started TO run away. Trying
10 turn my head To see whittier she had
gone, the ewes Of the snake were also
directed in the direction in which Annie
Was shriekinG. From that moment the
snakes spell ON me was broken, and
with all my might hurled il from me.
No sooner had the snake landed on the
ground than l ran with the heetness Of
"A deer. fearing that ID would overtake
me. Judge of my feelings when, al
most out Of breath and ready 10 sink
down 10 the earth from sheer exhaustion,
| turned around and found a snake with
three others several PAGES from me, in
hot pursuit | remembered that snakes
were afraid Of anything red. Fortunate
ly having on a red skirt, | Immediately
exposed il 10 the reptiles view, and they
at once stopped the pursuit. advanced
toward them, shaking my red skirt, and
they retreated. | gathered mp stones
and threw AZ them and killed the largest
one, and the others escaped through the
rocks. Jus At this moment a deputa-
ton from the school. who had been in
search Of us, came mp. The large snake
that had coiled itself around my neck
was found by the escort, and il mea-
sures nine feet and four inches