Edgefield advertiser. [volume] (Edgefield, S.C.) 1836-current, 1894-01-11
SNAKE ABOVE COFFIN.
Weird Incident at the Wake OF
an Italian Musician.

The story which I am about to
narrate, says a Richmond Times
correspondent, is related upon the
authority of areliable witness who
lives in Louisa County, Va, and
was cnce well-known public Off
cial of that county. He maintains
that the details are correct and
adds that he can furnish at least
two trustworthy witn@ sses who will
make afidavits to his statements.
1t was several yaars ago, accord
ing to my informant, near the lit
tie rural settlement of Boyd's Tav-
ern, in Albermarle county, short
distance from the Fluvanna line.
For many years an old Italian
named Faranchini bad been a ia
miliar figure in that section.
He had no relatives, but lived a
sort of hermit life in a rude, dilap-
idated two-story house about half
a mile from the tavern. Nearly
every night he could be seen play
ing the fiddle at the tavern, and in
times of elections he took in quite
a snug sum for his musical talent.
There was something mysterious
about the old foreigner. He was
known to have earned considerable
money, but rarely, if ever, did any
one see him make purchase. He
was never known to take drink.
A light could be seen shining
family from his window every
night, long after other people had
retired. Some said the old man
had plenty of money, and was bury
ing 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 the burial arrange"
ments, and SO a pine box was Sc
cured at the expense Of charity.
There young men who had often
danced the Virginia reel to his
music agreed to sit up with the re-
mains during the night.
A dreary looking rain made mat
ters doubly uncomfortable; and at
l10 o'clock4sthe three charitable
young men were seated by log
fire that glowed in the olI-fash-
ioned fireplace, smoking their pipes
and telling anecdotes, while the
body of The Italian lay in the rude
coffin some ten feet away for two
hours. when one of them proposed
a game of cards.
This was agreed to, and the game
was interspersed COW and then
with glass of cider from a big
jug that sat on one side.
An old-fashioned clock on the
shelf struck IL. The last stroke
had scarcely died away in the
dense stiffness when one of the
men aroused himself suddenly,
dropped his hand on the table md
stood up from the stool Oil WI ch
he was seated. His hair was on
end, his eyes were twice their usual
size, and with one hand he pointed
nervously to the coffin in the
corner.
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.
"Hiss! Hiss! Hiss! came the
sound at regular intervals from the
direction of the coffin, while from
a trapdoor, its tail coiled around
one of the Stats, hung a long
blacksnake that swung back and
forth like pendulum over the en-
tire length of the coffin. Its head
swept within an inch or so of the
Italian, and the hideous thing
fixed lis h"sh-tinted eyes on the
, face, as if trying to charm the
miser.
The three men stood perfectly
still, as riveted to the floor; and
for several moments none spoke
: The countenance of one of then
, was pale as sheet. Another
stared at his companions with 6
bewildered query written on hi
} face, while the third, horror -strick
( en- seized the poker, and creeping
} stealthily towards the snake aimed
a terrible blow at the intruder
Il IL Ill L.. l.