Montgomery County sentinel., 1879-03-07
Selected Mistellaug.
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
BY JAMES. NJ MILAN.

Some years ago was travelling through
Iowa, for the well-known house of Scuy-
ler, Hartley and Graham, of Pbiladel-
phia, and having business in Montgom-
cry, the county seat of Poweshiek coun-
ty, | engaged horse at Grinnel, the
nearest railroad town. for the purpose of
carrying me there.
Montgomery was distant some four
teen miles, and being in no particular
hurry, l Ijourneyed along quite leisurely
so that | might feast my eyes upon the
endless, rolling prairies, which were at
this season Of the year. June, clothed
in wild flowers of the most beautiful and
variegated hues.
The sun had almost reached its iierid-
ian and Judging from the distance l had
come, | momentarily expected to see the
church spires of the town loom into view,
when suddenly my horse, with mingled
snort of terror and pain, reared up with
such violence as to almost unscat me-
He then began prancing fearfully, gaz-
ing the mean while with terrified and dis
tended eyes at the ground beneath his
fore feet.
Casting my eyes in the same direction
l beheld to my horror large snake of
the copper-head species. directly under
the horses hoofs, which had already
trampled the serpent into shapeless
and writhing mass.
Dismounting, l examined the horse
and discovered that he had been bitten
on the right fore leg. Patting the poor
fellow, succeeded in partially quieting
his fears, and, leading him away from
the snake, the sight of which appeared
to cause all his terror, | came TO cot
tage by the road side, the proprietor of
which, upon being informed of Che acci-
dent, invited me into bis house whilst he
made the poor animal as comfortable as
the circumstances would admit.
Entering the cottage, | saw that every
thing was scrupulously clean, an appear
ance of neatness and thrift pervading the
whole house and its surroundings.
had barely time to make these obscrva-
tions when woman entered from an ad-
joining room an bade me be seated. /
turned to thank her, but | started back
in astonishmcnt when | saw her counte-
nance. Words are inadequate to de-
scribe her as she appeared to me-such
an utterly woe-begone, corpse-like face
hope never to see again; it was perfect
ly bloodless and Of leaden hue, the eyes
being expressionless, whilst her hair and
eyebrows we're as white as the driven
snow, although did not judge her to
have been more than forty years Of age.
Perceiving that my gaze gave her
pain, apologized for my intrusion and
accepted the seat which she profered
me.
my son-in-law informs me that your
horse has met with an accident" said
she, in a quiet, subdued tone as she
seated herself in chair opposite.
ayes, ma'am," replied |. "He was
bitten by a snake"
| shall never forget the change which
came over her on the instant she sprang
from her chair and frantically screamed
whilst she shook my arm-"A snake
where = Her face. which a moment be-
fore was so death like, now became fair
ly illuminated, and her eyes, hitherto so
utterly void Of expression actually fash
ed as she excitedly reiterated. Where.
where % The next moment she had
rushed from the house and down the
road in the direction from which I had
come, wailing as she ran--"0h, the
,ruel, cruel snakes"
To say that vas surprised and as
ionished at this extraordinary scene but
'aintly expresses the true state Of my
ceilings. and / rackei my brain In vain
.eekiDg for a solution Of the mystery
The young man. who had taken charge
If my borse, entering shortly after, I