The Cape Girardeau Democrat. (Cape Girardeau, Mo.) 1876-1909, 1894-10-27


Ind. says: The torrid weather Of tho
past few days has revived the memory
Of jag county's great serpent and re-
freshed the many wild, weird tales
conserving It
Probably fifteen years have elapsed
since It was first seen in Riehland
township. II was on . ummer after
noon and . gang Of men were engaged
with old-fashfoned cradles harvest
ing grain Near by the field where
they were at work ran . little brook,
lined on both sides with stubby viii
lows, long tangled grass and rank
weeds During the afternoon . boy in
the party wandered down toward
this spot and wa surprised al
most into speech1essness by seeing
q snake, whose dimensions were
to him simply mammoth, dragging it,
sinuous length along with the rapidity
of . race horse. He gave the alarm A
hunting party was organized in short
order and, armed with rifles, shotguns,
revolvers, hoes, spades and everything
available for weapons, the crowd start
ed on the hunt, but were unsuccessful.
The next day two hundred men joined
in the search, many Of the men horse
back, with dogs Of every kind follow
ing. With undaunted persistence they
beat to and fro through the bushes,
and at several times It was thought
that his snakeship had been sighted.
but the report proved false. All that
could be found was . wide track in the
brooks muddy bank and a furrow
through the fields Of waving grain
The disappointed hunters left for home,
and for years the snake was supposed
to be q myth. Later, however. it bodied
mp again, and nearly frightened q man
out of his wits
At the time the Lake Erie & West
ern Railroad Co. had crew of men
at work filling in 9 deep cut at Curtis
Hill, eight miles of this city. The
day was q torrid one. A short dis
lance from where the men were at
work cattle were quietly feeding under
the shade of some scrawny oaks. Sud-
denly there was q commotion among
them, and with heads in the air, eyes
dilated and nostrils listened with fear.
they beloved with fright and started
away at q more speedy gait than ever
was shown by q stampeded herd on the
prairies. One of the men who had
been noticing the cattle's queer &C
tions ran up on the bank and was al
most paralyzed at the sight which met
his eyes.
Twined about one of the oaks was q
huge serpent, whose coils enveloped
the trunk of the tree in q fold which
to man or beast would have proved g
fearful death. Its sides were dotted,
its vicious little eyes seemed to emit
flames Of fire, and from the wide-open
mouth. with its row of jagged teeth,
dsrted a long, red tongue.
The spectator was for the time being
motionless with fright, but when the
immense snake slowly unwound it,
tortuous length and cast longing
chances toward him the power Of loco
motion returned. and he ri a though
pursued by q legion of demons. Sum
moning help, he returned to the spot,
but the snake had vanished, and al
search failed to reveal it. To his com
rades he described It as fully for
ty feet long, with q body OF
prodigious size. For days afterward
hogs and other small domestic animals
were missing in the neighborhood, and
mothers frightened their children into
a restless sleep by tales Of the horrible
monster which would come and devoui
them in ease they did not behave them
selves.
The next place the snake put in its
appearance was out in jackson town
ship. One dark summer night 1t fairly
t~errorized q gypsy camp. The leader
of the gypsies told q graphic tale re
garding the event. He said that or
the night in question his family and 6
number of others on their way home
from Iowa to the gypsy queens home
in Ohio camped near a little
creek. They had pitched their tents
partaken of the evening meal
and were fast asleep, when tn.
neighing of the horses and the bark
ing of the dogs awakened them. Men,
women and children alike were or theii
feet in an instant, but through the
darkness nothing could be seen.
The dogs still kept up their turmoil
near the camp, but all at once there
was a hush. The frightened ours, with
tails between their legs, skunk to theil
masters feet in q very agony Of fright
An instant later there was . rushing
sound, the horses tugged at and broke
their tethers, then sped away with loud
screams Of terror that only a horse car
give. Huddled together the campers
waited, but it was not for long. Al
most Immediately through the din
! circle Of light cast by the smoulderine
Samp-fre, an immense serpent glidet
swiftly, with its head fully ten feet IL
the ASr, mouth wide open, and wicked
eyes shaping death ind destruction
Straight II made for one of thechil
dren, and ftsVas almost in the cavern
GUS jaws wheA the little ones mother
her fears overcome by maternal love
seized q brand froA the campfire and
plunged it squarely into the serpentl
mouth. The surprised snake whiriet
quickly. dashing everything aside in it
wild course, and glided away in thu
darkness
To the gypsies until daylight was Al
endless watch. 1t seemed as though
/ morning would never come, and thu
FIRST gray streaks of dawn were haflet
lit.