Daily globe. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1878-1884, 1879-08-05
AN OHIO EVE.
Girl Charmed on Bsack Beast Of a
Snake.

MI. vernon, ", special in Cincinnati COm-
mercial.l
A very rare psychological phenomenon
was related to us ly Mr.. Campbell about a
snakes influence over young lady living
east of Mt. Vernon, by the name of Bertha
Miller. For some weeks the parents had
noticed that their daughter was showing
marks of declining health, evidenced by an
increasing paleness and emaciation, and &C.
companied by melancholy mood. So
marked was the change becoming that they
began feeling great solicitation concerning
her, and consulted physician of this city
about the matter. The physician Visited
the girl, but was unable to explain the
cause Of her decline or to render her
aid. It also fell under the observation of her
mother that each afternoon, about three
O'Clock, the girl would leave the house and
| remain away from one to two hours. This
! fact being communicated to the other parent,
it was decided to watch the young lady and
discover if possible the reason for such habit
ual absence. Accordingly on the day follow.
ing, when the hour had about arrived, the
| father left the house and watched for the
going of his daughter. In few minutes
the young girl was on her way through q
wood and up ravine leading from the
house to small stone quarry, some half
mile distant, reaching which she took seat
on fiat stone, under small clump of trees,
and remained sitting there quietly for several
minutes, her head held in one position, and
eyes evidently fixed on one spot. The father
had gotten up SO near by this time that he
could observe all that would happen. In q
few moments, to his amazement, there pro-
ceeded from the direction in which the girl
was looking snake ab nut four feet in length,
and known to him as our common black
snake or racer. So astonisbed was he at the
peculiar manner of his daughter and the ap-
pearance of the reptile that he remained
quiet in his concealment to observe what
would happen. The snake crept slowly
along toward the girl until it halted close to
her feet. After remaining there motionless
for minute or more, and gazing fxedly into
the face of the girl, it slowly and stead
lily began creeping toward her, and in
moment lay coiled in her lap. The
girl renamed perfectly motionless,
apparently not the least alarmed at the pres
e''ce of her visitor, but gazing intently at it.
After lying in that position for short while,
it slowly uncoiled, crept down to the ground,
and back to its hiding place in the rocks.
The girl remained sitting motionless for a
oohoAooioOAo tiAAe3 anu Iueu SOt up anu T6-
traced her steps to the house. On the next
day the father, at the appointed time, took
his gun and proceeding to the scene killed the
reptile. The girl, startled at the report of the
gun, spraug to her feet, but immediately
recognizing her father, proceeded wit out
ado back home with him. She ,when interro-
gated, could give no Ineligible reacon for
visiting the spot, except that at certain hour
she felt atrOnC1v inc1ino6 tn or1 ~ %horo
She has rapidly recovered her health, and
appears in nowise affected in her mind. Ex-
r'erts can offer no solution to this strange
proceeding, the most intellleible being til t
the animal possessed a powerful mesmeric
influence, and had SO wrought upon the
mind of the girl that she went automatic
ally to the place. This, in connection with
an accumulated inherited disposition to be
beguiled bya serpent-transmitted from our
first mother, Eve-offers the only rational
explanation.