Evening journal., 1894-11-23
A STRANGE STORY.
PECULIAR ACTION or a BLAcKsNAikE
OVER a COFFIN.

letto Found In the Iron Chest.
The story which | am about to narrate
ls related upon the authority Of a reliable
Witness who lives in Louisa county, Va,
and was oncea well known public official
Of that county. He maintains that the
details are correct and adds that he can
furnish at least two trustworthy witnesses
who win make ailidavits to his statements,
It was several years ago according to /
my informant, near the little rural settle
ment OF Boyd's Tavern, in Albermarle i
county, u short distance from the Fluyan-
ma line. For many years an old Italian Il
named Faranchini had been a familiar /
figure IN that section. He had no rela- |
tives, but lived a sort Of hermit life IN |
n rude, dilapdated two story house about /
half mile from the tavern. Nearly ey- /
cry night he could be seen playing the fid- !
die at the tavern, and in times Of elections /,
he took in quite a snug sum for his mu-
Hicil talent There was something mys-
terioua about the old foreigner. He was
known to have earned considerable mon
ey, but rarely if ever, did any one see him
make a purchase. He was never known to
take drink A light could be seen shin
ing family from his window every night,
long after other people had retired. Some
said the old man had plenty Of money,
and was burying it from time to time in
some secret place.
One afternoon in December the old man
died suddenly. A rumor spread that he
had been poisoned for his treasures There
was no one to look after tho burial ar
rangements, and so a pine box was Sc
cured at the expense of charity. Three
young men who had often danced the Vir-
/ ginia reel to his music agreed to sit up
4 Inc 1f4tttpp f0p NIGHT a
| dreary looking rain made matters doubly
uncomfortable, and at 10 O'Clock the three
| charitable young men were seated by
/ log fire that glowed in the old fashioned
| fireplace, smoking their pipes and telling
anecdotes while the body Of the Italian
lay in the rude coffin some 10 feet away.
They had chatted away for two hours,
when one of them proposed game OF
cards.
This was agreed to, and the game was
interspersed now and then with glass OF
cider from big jug that sat on one side.
An old fashioned clock on the shelf
struck 10. The last stroke had scarcely
died away in the dense stiffness when one
of the men aroused himself suddenly, drop
ped his hand on the table and stood up
from the stool on which ne was seated.
His hair was on end, his eyes were twice
their usual size, and with ono hand he
pointed neryously to tho coffin in the cor
ner. The other two men left their seats
simultaneously and were in the act Of
leaving the room when the first caught his
companions by the arm, and the three
cautiously approached a step nearer.
eHiss Hiss Hissp' came the sound at
regular intervals from the direction OF the
coffin, while from a trapdoor, its tail coll
cd around one Of the Stats, hung long
blacksnake that swung back and forth
like pendulum over the entire length Of
) the coffin. It's head swept within an inch
or SO Of the Italian, and the hideous thing
fixed its flesh tinted eyes ON the face, as II
trying to charm the miser.
The three men stood perfectly still, rs
I / though riveted To the floor, and for several
moments none spoke The countenanc'
OF one Of them was pale as sheet. An
! other stared at his companions with be
q wildered query written on his face, whll'
+ the third, horror stricken, seized the 20
i ker, and creeping stealthily toward tn
: snake aimed a terrible blow at the intrud
er. But the latter was not to be outwit
ted. Quick as a flash it lodged the weap
on, and coiling up disappeared through
crevice in the trapdoor. Tho men gaEe'
at each other mystitied
a A conference was held, and each OF tn
q men simultaneously recalled number @
n strange stories that had furnished sui
q iects for gossip about the Italian. Fo
Al half an hour this was continued unit
finally they relapsed into half asleep me
T. notony and drowsily pulled their pipe.
n Not a sound could be heard save the drear
~ patter Of the rain on the window pane'
The lamp ilickered and went out, leavin
only the dim rays of the freight. On
of the men aroused himself with yawr
O. and got up to refill the lamp. Scarcei
rs | was this done before the men were aston
IN ished to see the snake reappear from Il
va trapdoor. The reptile was even bold'
90 than before. As it swept over tho lengt
ty Of the coffin, its eyes glistened as u threa
is eniRg those disturbing Il. One OF the
d. / hurled stick of wood ait the hideol
he thing, which avoided the blow, and Ju
ch az before vanished through the trapdoo
I'D Several times it reappeared, and every &
ial fort was made to Kill it, but all to no pu
90 pose. II was impossible TO strike the y
nd tile
re The men planned number of scbem
los 20 catch the intruder unawares. One
IN them concealed himself behind the cen
he and kept perfectly STILL He waited ht
an hour for the intruder e come from
hiding place. This, too, failed
Early the next morning everybody in
" neighborhood had learned Of the stran
ne experience in old Faranchini's domici
"a Some said the mystery ought 20 be inv
ff tigated, while others declared they eou
III not be paid to enter the misers house
IA That morning the Italian was buried
M the old burying ground, oycrgrown WI
ne briers aud underhrush. One or two gray
had caved in years before, and moss 6
cred bricks were scattered about the pla
No funeral services were held. The bo
W was buried By several men who lived
uls the neighborhood, and the violin, WIN
IN bore the mark Of age, was also placed
naa the grave with its owner.
A few hours later the three young II
who had kept watch over the remains
~ night before. together with two otht
NJ ~ who had manifested a great deal Of g
u osity ia the affair, determined to inve
gate the mystery of the previous mig
They searched the room in which Far
aaa chini slept. Nothing unusual was disc
I'M cred. by means of ladder they gail
access to the garret, and there institute
careful search The snake could not
-, found. After an hours investigation w
'ns out success a small iron chest was hrou
' "a tssht frOp, a crevice in the rude q