The state herald., 1893-06-16
AN ELECTRICAL SNAKE:
a MONSTER WHICH LEAVES A
TRACK OF ICY SLIME.
Described by . Farmer-Ths Thing Was
Leeas-Petrined Two Horsss and
WIS FiresFroet--A Won
dorful Story u Trus.

Mark Weston. a farmer living near
the small town OF Alexander. south
cast Of Delphi, Ind. relates a most
wonderful phenomenon which oc-
butted p his place, says tho Now
York World.
He says: "Just after dark I had
occasion to go out to tho barn to
look after the horses A public high
way passes within 300 yards of my
house, and the barn is built duo
south and somewhat nearer tho road.
I started from the house in tho direo-
ton OF the barn. and had gone per.
ksps half way when I noticed some
thing playing along On the ground
that looked like tremendous fiery
SNAKE.
The object crossed my path, and
~ II did so felt tho air grow much
colder. and peculiar moaning sound
arose, like tho sighting Of the wind
through the trees; only it was loud
enough to drown mans voice when
he would shout. Then ] felt some-
thing come over me like electricity.
and ! bscame motionless, as though
had grown fast to the ground.
~ was terribly scared, but never
lost the use OF my hands or legs
through fear. though thcre was
something peculiar in the air that
simply paralyzed me. When the
thing had got perhaps fifty feet from
mo, going west, 1t turned and came
back. and as It did so the moaning
sound changed to a shrill whistle.
something like d locomotive would
make, and when 1t got just In front
Of me II took course directly AWAY
from mo and towards the barn.
at travelled very rapidly and
looked like large, ragged streak OF
fire, perhaps thirty feet long and
| eighteen Inches In diameter. The
thing reached the barn, and In al
most an instant II ran directly up the
front OF the building and onto the
ROOF. l expected every moment to
sec the barn burst into flames, but IL
did not The great fiery snake ran
with great rapidity all over the
building. In almost every direction,
up and down, crosswisc and every
way. ! suppose, thousand times. il
then came TO the front of the build.
ing and elevated Itself until IL stood
straight on its tail, fully thirty feet
In the air.
81 was perfectly conscious all the
time, but. try as would. | could not
move from. the spot After the thing
had remained In an upright position
for, presume. three or four minutes
there was sudden explosion like
the discharge OF cannon. and the
thing disappeared entirely. With
tho disappearance Of the strange
phenomenon felt shock like the
FIRST ono l had felt. and at the same
time | gained control OF my limbs |
hastencd 10 the house. told my wife
what had seen, and shc thought |
was crazy. but upon my insisting she
Consented to accompany me TO inves-
tigate the matter
"You can imagine our surprise
Upon reaching the barn 10 nd Il COW
cred with . remarkable network re-
scmbling large ropes Of Ice They
appeared to pass around tho building
IN exactly the Same way the fiery
monster had passed. II was not Ice,
aowever. but seemed 10 DO moro OF a
crystal, for II would not melt, even
whom We held flame to II. and when
struck with u Ratchet II simply gave
4 dull-likc sound. and did not break.
Upon entering the barn wo were
imszod. ms two good horses stood In
their stalls immovablc. They were
alive. but neither could move n
muscle. They seemed TO he pnralyzcd
and stood there more IKE statues
than anything else. They were warm
and brcathed all right. but aside from
his you could not tell they were alive.
applied tho whip and thoy never
iirshed. A dog that sleeps In the
bafa was deed and appeared com.
plc.cly petrlhci. lie was lying on
The ground with his head on his paws.
Just like he was sleeping. When
left home this afternoon everything
was just as ] have described It to
you."