Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-22
A RATHER IN HER LUNCH BASKET.
A Pretty schoollna'nm Bitten, but Her Life
Was Saved by Her wickeslest PupiL

fretty schooitna'nm Bitten, but Her Life
Wns Saved by Her wickedest Pupil.
Ruth McDougal, the prettiest schooma am
In Hartford county, Conn, lies on a little CO,
at her Burnside home-her cheeks pallid great
dark circles under her eyes, and an ugly green
ish-yel,ow spot on her right forearm, says the
New York Sun. She passed through a very
unpleasant experience Friday. She was bit
ten by rattlesnske, then made very drunk
on whisky and carried to her home in
springless wood wagon. Miss McDougal is
blue eyed and nineteen, and began teaching
the young people who attend the Cotton
wood district school in the village of Burn
side, i've miles from Hartford, on September 9
last. when the fall term was begun. Her father
was killed on the New York and New England
road year ago. and since that time she has
been endeavoring to support her widowed
mother.
Friday morning. while the dew was yet on
the grass, Miss McDougsd started from her
home to walk to the school house. nearly two
miles away. Her journey led through the
Burnside woods. While passing through this
miniature forest she espied some late fall wild
flowers growing about twenty feet from the
patliside. Miss McDougal loves flowers and
she started to gather the blossoms think
ing to place them in the belt that spanned her
slender waist. Before doing so. however.
she placed her little lunch basket beside an old
tree Ihls lunch basket, which has for a fasten-
ing dliapidated wicker clasp, contained two
boiled eggs. cruller or two, some cold meat, a
paper of salt and bread and butter. The pretty
schooima am gathered the flowers, placed them
In her belt, picked up her lunch basket and
continued her journey to school
The morning session being over she seated
herself at her desk and prepared to eat her
luncheon. There were several small bows in
the room, who remained indoors to their
luncheon also. Miss McDougal reached for
the basket, raised the cover and put one
white hand into the receptacle. Then
the small boys were startled by a loud
scream Looking up they saw their
pretty teacher standing in her chair, while
coiled about her right arm they saw yellow
brown thing that squirmed and Missed and
shot out long red tongue. Willie Phelps. the
best fighter and the best speller in the school,
ran forward. He grasped the snake by the tail
and tore II from the teachers arm. Then, with
quick toss about his head, he dashed it to the
floor and stamped on its head until it was dead
Then Willie looked at Miss McDougaL She
was lying PROSTATE on the floor. He, dashed
water IN her face and, seeing q drop Of blood
Just above the wrist OF her right arm. he put his
| mouth to 1t and sucked at it vigorously Then.
being boy OF action, he called upon one Of his
schoolmates to run to Meadows drug store, half
mile away, get pint of whisky and on his
| way back inform DR.. Childs of what had han
pened. In less than half an hour the school
mate returned with the whisky. which Willie
forced down his still unconscious teacher 9
throat Not long afterward DIR. Childs
reached the school house and ordered her
removed to her home. Farmer Stoughton was
passing on his wood wagon at the time. and
volunteered 70 transport her. This he did In
the meantime the teacher had regained her
senses. but she was drunk. Today she is sober,
and the physician thinks that, owing to Willie .
prompt measures, she will live. The snake.
probably attracted by the smell of cold meat
OF boiled eggs, evidently entered her lunch
basket while she was picking wild flowers. 1,
measured four feet two and half inches and
had eight rattles. 1t is the first rattlesnake
found In the Burnside woods for several vesrp