The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1891-09-22
LITTLE WILLIE SAVED TEACHER.
Tho schooIma'am Bitten by Snake
Found in Her launch Basket.

HARTFORD. September 20-Ruth McDon-
gal. the prettiest schoolma'am in Hartford
county. lies on a little cot at her Burnside
home-her cheeks pallid. great dark circles
under her eyes, and an ugly, greefEsh-yellow
spo. ON her right forearm. She passed
through very unpleasant experience
Saturday morning. She was bitten by a
rattlesnake. then made very drunk nm
whiskey. aud carried to her home in a spring.
less wood wagon. Miss McDougal Is blue
eyed aud 10, and began teaching the young
people who attend the Cottonwood idistrict''
school in the village Of Burnside, five miles
from this city, ON September last, when the
fall term was begun. Her father was killad
on the New York and New England road a
year ago, and since that time she has been
endeayoring to support her widowed moth
er.
Yester morning, while the dew was vet on
the grass, Miss McDougal started from her
home to walk to the sch00lh0use, nearly two
miles away. Her journey led through the
Burnside woods. While passing through
this miniature forest. she espied some late
the pathside. Miss MeDougal loves flowers.
and she started to gather the blossoms,
thinking to place them in the belt tnat
spanned her slender waist. Before de-
Ing so, however, she placed her little lunch
basket peslde an old tree. This lunch bas-
kef, which has for fastening a dlapidated
wicker clasp. contained two boiled eggs, a
cruiler or TWO, some cold meat, a paper of
salt and bread and bntter. The pretty school
ma am gathered the flowers, placed them in
ner DeIt, picked up her lunch basket, and
contlnued her Journey to school.
Inc morning session being over, she seat
ca nerseif at her desk and prepared to eat
her luncheon. There were several small
Doys 10 Inc room. who remained indoors to
eat tner luncheon also. Miss MeDOugal
reached for the basket, raised the cover.
ana fn put one white hand into the receptacle.
lnen the small boys were startled by loud
scream. Looking up they saw their pretty
teacner standing In her chair, while coiled
ABOUT ner right arm they saw yellow-brown
tning that squlrmed and hissed and shot out
q long red tongue. Willie Phelps, the best
1gnter and the best speller in the school, ran
forward. He grasped the snake by the tail
ana TORE u irom the teachers arm. Then
with quick toss about his head, he dashed
u 10 the hoor and stamped on its head until
" was dead. Then Willie looked at Miss
McD0ugal. She was lying PROSTATE on the
noor. de dashed water in her face, and,
seeing drop of blood just above the wrist
Oh her right arm, he put his mouth to it and
sucked at It vigorously. Then. being boy
OF action, he called upon one of his school
mates to run to Meadows drug store, half a
mile away, to get pint of whiskey. and, on
MS way back, inform DR.. Childs OF what had
happened. In less than half an hour the
scnoolmate returned with the whiskey,
which Willie forced down the still uncon-
sclous teachers throat. Not long afterwards
Dr. Chllds reached the schoolhouse and or
Gered her removed to her home. Farmer
otoughton was passing on his wood wagon
az TINS time, and volunteered to transport