The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1888-12-01

Gus task he was about to undertake.
A single abrasion ofmouth or tongue,
q carious tooth through which poison
could be absorbed, would be as fatal
and a more sudden death than bullet
or knife. Yet there was nothing of
hesitation after that first shuddering
thought. Wiping away the bloody
ooze from the almost invisible pune.
tured wounds he applied his lips to
to them one after the other and sucked
out the poison, freeing his mouth
from time to time, and not desisting
until assured the work was thorough
ly done, that he could do no more.
Then, and without giving heed to the
family whispered thanks, he put his
arm around the girl and hurried her
forward.
But not long could she direct the
way to travel, not long could her
limbs sustain her. Another terror
came to break down the little remain.
ing nerve and strength, and she fall
tered, reeled and fell. She had gone
through as much of mental and ply.
steal sufering as nature would endure,
had gone as far as she could.
With the rain descending as if the
windows of heaven had been flung
wide open and a second food came
to earth, with the thunder rolling
and crashing above their heads and
shaking the solid rocks beneath their
feet, with the lightning flashing and
binding, she lay, scarcely able to
move hand or foot for self-preserva.
ton. But no fear of rattlesnakes
then. Before the terrible majesty OF
the elemental war even they had fed
terrified to the lowest depths of their
noisome dens, and covered in such
fear as instinct gives, instict that in
many cases is twin brother ofreason.
Though despairing of saving the
fieeting life, yet driven nearly frantic
by being alone with the girl in the
now dense darkness and now blind
ing glare, Myratt lifted her again in
his strong arms and dashed forward.
Guided by the lights of the village he
proceeded, whispering hope he did
not feel, receiving moaning whispers
for a time and then no recognition.
The girl was beyond speech! He
saw by the flames of lightning that
the bitten hand and arm had swollen
to an immense size, that upon the
delicate flesh were reproduced the
spots of the serpent, felt that the
beating of the heart was growing
fainter and fainter, that the hot
breath was becoming less and less,
knew that in little time he would
be carrying a corpse, beautiful but an
hour before, the loathsome, discolored
and hideous beyond the conception
of those who have never seen such q
death.
Straining every nerve, painting
from speed and worn with his burden,
Myratt still kept on, reached the
path that led down to the village,
and was about to descend, when he
was met by aparty anxiously search
ing for the lost girl.
"Bitten by a rattlesnake? Dying
or dead? Stained and spotted with
the horrible leprosy of the serpent
poison? Oh, my God! it is terrible"
groaned the poor father as the in
sensible form was placed within his
arms and the fearful tale told.
But the grief was as nothing to
the wild agonized sobbing and
shrieking OF the loving mother, when
she saw her darling brought in and
laid upon bed, as hideous and re-
pulsive as she had last seen her bright
and beautiful.
Physicians came, but their expert
ence and wisdom awaited little. The
poison had spread rapidly, been
strongly Incorporated with the circu-
lation, the action of the heart par
alyzed until it had almost ceased to
beat. Ammonia, iodine, everything
to be thought of as an antidote, hv-
dratic and palliative medicine were
tried without giving relief. The hid
eous spots grew larger and more
distinct; sinuous, twisting, creeping
motions took the place of natural
ones, and hand and limb became
more. swollen. The sufferings of the
stricken girl became so terrible as to
cause several to be carried fainting
from the room, others to turn ghast-
ly pale, grow sick and eagerly rush
into the open air.
"Can nothing be done? 90, my
poor, dear childl" sobbed the heart
broken mother, still clinging to the
writhing form, still clinging to the
hope long given up by all Others,
Nothing" came answered back
from the firmly compressed lips of
the physician-in-chief. "We have
exhausted all our knowledge, all our
skill, but"
He motioned to his associates,
drew them aside and a whispered con-
sultation was held.
"Chloroform" was the only word
that reached the strained ears of
Paul Myratt, but it was enough.
He knew but too well what it por-
tended; that they were discussing
the propriety of easing her terrible
sufferings and freeing her pure soul
from the rotting clay by a long,
deep anesthetic slumber, by one
that would never be broken in this
world.
1t was so decided, and while one of
their number was absent procuring
the powerful chemical combination,
they again gathered around their
patient and watched the spasms of
pain, the horrible writings and con-
torsions, with professional interest.
though not with fearless eyes. Other
than human would they have been
could they have done SO.
In the midst of the stiffness that
was worse than that of death, a 81
lence to which sound would come as
the falling of clods upon the coffin
lid, stranger entered. So wild with
was the town that no one
could escape hearing of the accident.
In the great sorrow his presence was