Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1878-03-03
KuttLes1.ukes.

From the Reading Eagle.
A young lady III this city has received
the following letter from her friend who
is at boarding school, giving thrilling
account of her adventure with a huge rat
tlesnake:
''Threc weeks ago yesterday afternoon
two young ladies besides myself, who had
gone out in q walking party with one Of
the teachers at the school in this place,
strolled off from the rest Of the party,
and, losing our way, were unable for some
time to tell where we were, as the woods
and underwood were so thick that the
further we penetrated into it the more
difficult our passage became. We wander
ed to and fro for a long time until almost
overcome with fatigue, when we sat
down on a huge boulder to recover our
lost strength.
Looking at our washes we found
that we had been on the mountuin near
ly six honrs, and felt hungry, distressed
and tired. It was about five o'clock in
the afternoon, and twilight was fast APP
preaching. oh, but for something to
eat my companion said, 'and then we
could struggle on and try to find the
school again" She appeared to be the
feet above the ground alongside Of a
huge oak tree, and presently l felt some
thing moving on my neck. placed my
hand to my neck to remove it, when hor-
riblc to relate, grasped something round
and soft, which Kissed like an adder. I
tried to pull it from me, but it wriggied
and squirmed, and my companion seeing
the monster on my body, shrjeked and
screamed and almost tainted Just at
that moment the head made dart at my
breast, with mouth wide open and tongue
elongated, and Kissing a death-like and
horrible sound.
My left hand was but SIX inches fl IN
its head, and, in ORDER to prevent being
bitten, I graspcd it right behind the eyes
with my right hand Holding it in this
way for several seconds, my companion
shriekcd to me to throw the snake from
me. l tried to do SO, but was powerless
being, as it seemed to me transtixed or
charmed to the spot by the horrid eyes
Of the monster l tried to talk, but my
Jaws would not open, and my tongue APP
peared stiff. [ telt the cold sweat trick
ling down my back, and large drops Of
Precipitation stood On my forehead. My
lace was as white as the driven snow, and
could neither move nor talk, but seem,
ed to be as stiff as a post. 1t makes INC
shudder as I write, to think of the stare
of the reptile. Annie, my companion
seeing my dangerous situation, screamed
for help. She seemed to have been beref
of reason, for instead of coming to my
assistance she started to run away. Try
ing to turn my head to see whether sht
had gone, the eyes of the snake We're also
directed in the direction in which Annie
Was screaming.
From that moment the snakes spell! OF
me was broken, and with all my might
hurled it from me. No sooner had thu
snake landed on the ground than I raj
with the tleetness o. deer, fearing tina
it would oyertake me. Judge of feeling
when almost out Of breath and ready t,
sink down to the earth from sheer ex
haustion, turned around and found
snake with three others several pace
from me, in hot pursuit. remembered
that snakes were afraid Of anything red
Fortunately having on red skirt, i i'm
mediately exposed it to the reptiles
view, and they at once stopped the pur
suit. l advanced toward them, shakin.
my red skirt, and they retreated.
gathered up stones and trew at them an,
killed the largest one, and the other
escaped through the rocks. Just at thi
moment deputation from the schoc
who had been in search of us came u,
The large snake that had coiled itse
and it measures nine feet and four ince