Fort Worth gazette. [volume] (Fort Worth, Tex.) 1891-1898, 1894-02-20
STRANGE STORY.
g. .crIos Of A sLAoKsNAKe
OYER a COFFIN

p - ...-,s,.isriOas Death o. ~ ou
V'i',', ,,,aI.r- The Blood stained s'i-
r, '.,, r...a ]. N. Iron Chest
-,,ebI am about to narrate
rli''a ap Iivss ii Louisa county, va,
~ ~ y. IN Vii known public official
rs '. He maintains that the
~ ~ ~ 7, sa J, two trustworthy witnesses
~ y ~ iIidaylts to his statement
w ~ ..,,r,l years ago, according to
n tr = near the little rural settle
si',iIa,.is Tavern. in Albermarle
9 . q ~ distance from the Fluyan-
~ y, many years an old Italian
W iN..bini had been familiar
- N, section. lie had no rela-
Y Inv I'M 4 SOFT OF hermit life in
4 ~ ln.aideted two story house about
y N. trum the tavern. Nearly ev-
=, w 4. eould be seen paying the fid-
4 \ I. y ,.,erp. and in times of elections
,.rri,s a snug sum for his mu-
a ~, There was something mys-
~ ~. he old foreigner. He was
2 ~ k,,e earned Considerable mon
~ n ever, did amy one see him
srrsiase He was never known to
l1nk 4 light could be seen shin
vi, nom his window every night,
,siher people had retired. Some
X n msn had plenty OF money,
!. lauing 1t from time to time in
s. ~ r'aee.
,sruoon in December the old man
b ,1,sly. A ruinor spread that he
= sisoned for his treasures. There
~ to look after the burial ar
~ aud so pine box was Sc
s ia expense OF charity. Three
who had often danced the Nir-
% his music agreed to sit up
rmains during the night. a
rslng rain made matters doubly
ls.ble, and at 10 o'clock the three
= !, 1uung men were seated by
III glowed in the old fashioned
rnoking their pipes and telling
T. - While the body of the Italian
T. 4, iude coffin some 10 feet away.
M thatted away for two hours,
Z, q them proposed game Of
NJ agreed to, and the gamo was
o. ,ossd now and then with a glass of
IL. BIG Jug that sat on one side.
q, "a fashioned clock on the shelf
ill The last stroke had scarcely
NJ n the dense stiffness when one
ID uuused himself suddenly, drop
Z y md on the table and stood up
., aeol on which he was seated.
.hhvm On end, his eyes were twice
tsil size, and with one hand he
nimrcusly to the coffin in the cor
n he ether two men left their seats
lrrusly and were in the act Of
gihenom when the first caught his
rd1as BY the arm, and the three
< aiy approached n step nearer.
= v Hiss Hissw came che sound at
#rlr;gyals from the direction OF the
E stle nom a trapdoor, its tail coil
Rad one Of the Stats, hung u long
sEifs that swung back and forth
P1dalum over the entire length OF
Ga lis head swept within an inch
= dlhg Italian, and tho hideous thing
nleh tinted eyes on the face, as II
snehArm the miser.
iAHe men stood perfectly still, as
arVeted to the floor, and for several
1s none spoke. The countennnce
aihem was pale rs n sheet. An
rlad at his companions with n be
dquery written on his face, while
r ~ horror stricken, seized the po-
d ueeplng stealthily toward the
t1ei a terrible blow ut the intrud-
n y Toe latter was not to be outwit-
esek as fash it lodged the weap-
mlling up disappeared through a
the trapdoor. The men gaKed
nher mystiiled.
hlence was held, and each of the
lhaneously recalled "A number of
rories that had furnished sub
n gossip about the Italian. For
hour this was continued until
~ relapsed into a half asleep mo-
md drowsily pulled their pipes.
'Nnd could be heard save the dreary
NC rain on the window panes.
III hlckered and went out, leaving
GIN rays Of the freight, One
sn hroused himself with IA yawn,
,pso refill the lamp. Scarcely
4aaae before the men were aston
I ~ the snake reappear from the
II Tue reptile was even holder
As it swept over the length
an It's eyes glistened MS If threat
~ disturbing it, One Of them
III Hck OF wood at the hideous
lA avoided the blow, and Just
FINISHED through the trapdoor.
unei it reappeared, and every eff
NC to kill it, but all to no pur-
"a impossible to strike the rep
y planned a number of schemes
Intruder unawares. One OF
y LED himself behind the coffin
III lffectly still. He waited half
Nthe intruder to come from his
"A This, too, failed.
.'seIt morning ey erybody in the
- had learned Of the strange
III. ln old Faranchini's domicile.
Z Y. NE mystery ought TO be inves-
r w. taue others declared they could
~ y enter the miser's house.
81 Aning the Italian was buried in
DING ground, overgrown with
I, !, slasforush. One or two graves
y y Years before, and moss COW
n were scattered about the place.
y. y services were held. The body
n " several men who lived in
=; 4 mood, aud the violin, which
1ais Of age, was also placed in
ssln l's owner.
81 -, later the three young men
a his.'' watch over the remains the
~, together with two others,
n i ~ , 's. a great deal OF curl
4 AuAlr' determined to investi-
49, N ,'e5y Of the previous night.
e. we room IN which Faran-
He'ning unusual was discov.
*ahs- 'Ans Of a ladder they gained
4 kAfrst, and there instituted a
n Az, The snake could not be