The Cambria freeman. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1867-1938, 1879-08-29
CHARMED BY 4 SNAKE.

How an Ohio girl was for weeks held
in the power of a blacksnake OF racer is
told 10y a Mt. Vernon correspondent of
the Cincinnati Commercial. as follows:
y very rare psychological phenomenon was
related 10 lis bV M Campbell about q snakes
influence over young lady living east of Mt
Vernon hy the name of Bertha Miller. For
some weeks the parents had noticed that thciT
daughter was showing marks of declining
health. evidenced by an Increasing paleneSs
and emaciatiOn and accompanied hE mel
anchOly mood. 30 marked was the change
becoming that they began feeling great Soii-
citude concerning her, and consulted piIy-
Sician about the matter. The physician VS.
tied the girl, but was unable To explain the
cause of her decline OF render her any aid
ItalSO fell under the observation of her moth
er that each afternoon about three o'clock
the Girl would leave the house and remain
away from one To two hours. This fact be
ing communicated To the other parent, it was
decided to watch the young lady and diScOv-
cr. If possible. the reason for such hahtual
absence. Accordingly, on the day following,
when the usual hour had arrived. the father
left the house and watched for the going of
his daughter. In few minutes the giIl was
on her way through q woodland up "a rayiue
leading from the House to small stone quar-
ry, some half mile distant. reaching which
she took a seat on fat stone. under q small
. Clump of trees, and remained sitting there
quietly for several minutes her head held i'm
one position and lpT ewes 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
utter amaZemcut. there proceeded from the
direction in which the girl was looking q
snake about -four feet long and known To him
as the common hlacksnake or racer. so as
toniShed was he at the peculiar manner of
his daughter and the appearance of the rep
tile that he remained quiet in his conceal
mput To observe what would happen The
snake Crawled along towards the girl until it
halted close to her feet After remaining
there mOtiOnleSS for a minute OF more and
gazing fiNedIy into the face Of the girl. it
slowly and steadily began creeping toward
her, and in moment or two after lay cuied
in her lap. The girl remained perfectly mo
ttOnieSS, apparently not the least alarmed at
the presence of her visitor. bat gazing intent
~ at il. After laying in that position for a
short time it slowly uncOiled. crcpt down to
the grOnnd and back into its hidiug-plarr i'm
the rocks. The Girl remained sitting motion
less for a considerable time, and then gut up
and rctraced LcT steps To the house. Bn the
following day the father, at the appointed
time, took his gun and proceeding % the
. scene killed the reptile. The girl, startled
by the report OF the gun, sprang To her feet,
but Immediately recognizing her father. pro-
cecdcd without further ado back home with
him. When iuteTrog1ted, she could give no
intelliGible reason for visiting the spot, eN-
ccpt that at q certain hour she felt strongly
inclined to 90 and sit there. Size has rapid
ly recovered hgr health and appears I'm no
wise affected in Ecr mind.
Experts can offer no satisfactory solution
to this singular proceeding, the most plau~i-
BILE being that the reptile possessed "a power
full meSmcrir influence. which had 50 wrought
upon the mind of the girl that she went au-
tumatcally 90 the place. This IN connection
with an inherited and accumulated dispuSi-
tiOn to be beguiled 10y q serpent-tr3nSmitted
/ from onr first mother, Eye-OtteTs the only
rational explanation.