The New Orleans daily Democrat. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1877-1880, 1879-09-28
CHARMED By A SNAKE.
An Ohio Girl Who Was Strangely Fascinated
by Snake.
Cincinnati Commercial

A very rare psychological phenomena was
related to. US 10y Mr.. Campbell. about q
east OF Mount Vernon, by the name Of Bertha
Miller. For some weeks the parents had
noticed that their daughter was showing
marks of falling health. evinced by an In
creastng paleness and emactation and accom-
panied by a melancholy mood. so marked
was the change becoming that they began
feeling great solicitude concerning her and
consulted a physician OF this city about the
matter. The physician visited the girl, but
WAS unable to explain the cause Of her de-
cline or 30 render her aid. It also fell under
the observation OF her mother that each after
noon, about o'clock, the girl would leave
the house and remain away from one to two
hours. This fact being communicated to
the young lady and discover IL possible
the reason for such babtual absence.
Accordingly. on the day. following when
the hour had about arrived the father left the
house and watched for the going OF his
daughter. In 8 few minutes the young girl
was on her way through a wood and up q
ravine leading from the house to q small
stone quarry, some half-.ntfe distant, reach
lug which she took a seat ON q fiat stone, un-
der q small elnmp OF trees, and remained
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 aIl
that would happeu In few moments, TO
his aDazement, there proceeded from the
direction in which the girl was looking
snake about four feet in length and known TO
him as the common black suake or racer. 80
astonished was he at the peculiar manner OF
his daughter and the appearance OF the rep
tile that he remained quiet In his conceal
ment to observe what would happen. The
snake erept slowly along toward the
girl until 1t, halted OF her feet. After
remaining there rnotionless for q min
ute OF more and gazing fizedly into the
face Of the girl it slowly aud steathily
began creeping toward her, and In u
moment lay coiIed in her lap. The girl re-
NAMED perfectly motionless. apparently not
the least alarmed OF the presence OF her vs-
itor, but gazing intently at 1t. After lying In
that position for a short while 1t slowly un-
coiled, crept down to the ground and back to
manned sitting motionlsss for a considerable
time, and then got up aud retraced her ste..n
to the house. On the next day - .,o ,,thaY 81
the appointed time, tor nls gun and proceed
ing 70 the Q. seen. ;, gllled the reptile The gil,
sta.tieo at che report OF the gun, sprang to
, ~ reet, but Immediately recognizing her
father, proceeded without further ado back
home with him. She, when intsrrogattd,
could give no Ineligible reason for visiting
the spot, except that at q certain hour she felt
strongly inclined to go and sit there. She has
rapidly recovered her health and appears In
no wise affected In her mind. Experts can
offer no solution to this strange proceeding,
the most Ineligible being that the animal
had 80 wrought upon the mind of the girl
that lhe went automatically to the place.
This In connection with an accumulated in
herited disposition to he beguiied by serpent
transmitted from our first mother, Eve-offers
the only rational explanation.