Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1893-07-31
LIVE CARPET RAcs
A Mothers Suspense as She Saw Her Child
Playing with a copperhead.

A Mothers Suspense rs She Saw Her Child
Playing with a Copperhead.
For some reason 1t has always been the
general belief among the people who live
In the mountains in York, Lancaster and
other counties where copperhead snakes
abound that this venomous snake will not
bite children, and there are numerous won.
derful stories told, especially In the Wish
mountains, about the copperhead's leniency
toward children. Outside OF the noun.
taineers these stories have never received
credence, but well known family living
on the York county side OF the Susque-
hanna are ready TO acceTS them hereafter.
The family consists Of Jacob Loan, his wife,
and two children, the youngest little girl
years old Dpperheads are always I'm.
comfortably plentiful in that locality. bu,
this season they have been more numerous
than usual. The haying and harvest handi
killed from three to ten a day during .
week on the Loan farm.
One day last week the little S-year-old
was playing in the front yard, aud hen
mother noticed her sitting In the grass
near the front gate. Every now and Their
she would be heard laughing gleefully,
and Mrs. Loan finally walked out to SEE
what was amusing the child so much.
When the little girl saw her mother com.
ing, she called out TO her;
Come, mamma, and see the live carpet
RAGS"
At the same time she held up TO he,
mother a snake, which she Rrasped In the
middle Of the body, and which twisted and
squirmod in the air Mrs Loan saw at
once that II was copperhead. Although
she was almost swooning with terror, the
child's mother acted with rare presence Of
mind. 1t occurred to her that II she show.
ed her alarm by crying out to the child the
latter would undoubtedly become fright,
ened, and the change that would naturally
follow in her handling or sudden dropping
of the snake might anger the copperhead
and cause 1t to bite, With a great effort,
Mrs. Loan said quietly and coaxingly:
Fetch 1t to mamma, dear. Don't hurt Il. "
But there's two OF 'em, mamma" 70.
piled the little girl "rll fetch EN- both. -
She reached down and picked up another
copperhesd that lay in the grass and which
Mrs, Loan had not seen and came toddlina
along the path toward her mother with
them. She retained her calmness, and
when the child WAS within acouple of yard.
of her spoke to her and said;
Put them on the ground, darling and
let mamma see them walk"
This seemed TO please the child, and she
placed the copperheads In the path. The
two snakes caught sight OF Mrs. Loan, and
instantly their manner changed The cop
per spot on the top OF their heads began 70
deepen in color, as 1t does when this snake
is enraged, and they both made toward the
child's mother, showing great rage The
little girl olapped her hands and started to
catch the snakes again. Her mother rushed
out Of the path and around the snakes, aud
snatohing the child up in her arms few "a
the house and into It, closed the door be
hind her aud fell to the floor in n dead
faint. The other child, u boy years old,
was in another room making kite He
heard the noise of his mothers fall and
his Lttlo sister crying and ran into the
room. His father was at work near the
house, and the boy quickly summoned him
1t was some time before the farmer sue
ceeded in restoring his wife TO conscious
ness and learned tho cause Of her swooning
Farmer Loan went into the yard, and
the copperheads were still there and still In
belligerent mood. They were soon killed
So great was the shock to Mrs. Loan that
she is still confined to her bed, and the lit
tie girl mourned for her deadly plhything:
a.: -, g .h~Aa davs-Cor. New York Sun.