Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1881-08-06
A NARROW ESCAPE.
A Young Lady's Adventure
With a Snake in the Blue
Rihoa

AAuSS'
Orkney SPRINGS, Va, July 30.-Some
OF the wonderful feats alleged to have
been performed By snakes thus season
a e hard TO believe. Let me send the
Times all incident founded on fact. 1t
was related to me day or two ago by
friend who had been stopping at
country hOuss in the mountains not lar
from Orkney. ARRIVING" said he, at
our summer quarters We found them
q, lightiul The grounds were lovely
ami the scenery fine. Upon the prem
ises were several mineral springs. 10
the left of the mansion stood beautiful
grove of trees, their dense foliage form
| ing a fine shade. Under one OF the
largest OF these trees We swung ham
mock. Oae evening not long after our
ARR, al some one proposed on the fol.
lowing morning we should make an ex-
cursion I'D the mountain side and wit
ness the sunrise from the top. This
was agreed to by all in orr party. The
first one on hand was q young lady
from Baltimore. Finding that the rest
had not made their appearance, she con,
cluded while waiting to take stroll
through the grounds. AS she stepped
off the piazza she spied the hammock
inyitingly near. Induced by the quiet
ness of the hour, she settled herself for
a swing. The drowsy influence OF the
morning and the soft twittering OF the
birds lulled her into sleep.
Gust at this point come down the
steps and out up n the lawn. saw
that l was late, for already little streaks
of red We're beginning to appear. The
clustering flowers which lined the walks
were filling the air with perfume
Lingering few moments to enjoy the
beauty OF the scene and the fragrance
of the morning, | turned to retrace my
steps. As did so my eyes chanceL 10
fall upon the hammock and its lair oc:
cupant. In an instant all the beaut.- OF
the scenery was blotted out, Hanging
from linb directly over the hammock,
it's scales glistening in the morning
light, was a huge snake. Its vicious
ruby ewes seemed fixed upon the face
OF the sleeper. sprang with the quick
ness of lightning through the open door,
yraspcd an old musket which stood III
the Ina and stole cautiously back. /
saw that the snake had changed lis posi-
ton. The young lady had opened her
ewes and from the white look OF terror
upon her countenance l saw that she
realized her position. Fearing ITO fire
as the snake swung-ow over the ham
mock, drew out the rod and with
heavy blow luckily swept it down.
Hardly had it reached the ground be.
fore it raised its head and ratified with
rage prepared to spring upon me.
Another blow finished it. Then | hur-
ried to the hammock and assisted the
young lady, who was half unconscious
from the shock, to the house. When
she was able to talk she said she had
awakened from a dreamless sleep to
find this reptile hanging over her and
became paralyzed with fear. She was
perfectly powerless to start. Our party
became so nervous that nothing would
tempt them to remain. On our way
down, the old darkey driver informed
us that but few days before big
blacksnake had been found coiled around
the centre ley OF the dining room table.
One of the servants found it there
after the family had lett the dining
room. 1t had been there during the
entirh meal"