The copper country evening news. [volume] (Calumet, Mich.) 18??-1907, 1898-03-29
HER DUAL EXISTENCE
o,,1sN BY A RATTLEsNAkE, CARRIE
ooNneR,s NATURE WAS CHANGED.


Ewes shone Like serpent's and She
u,..sd-Became Crafty and Sly = Pre-
,,.,sd Her Death just About Two
,,..,bs Before the End Came.
Miss Carrie Ponder, % years OF age
:, EXCELLENT family, died at Rome, Ga,
O,oortlv at exactly 1880 q. m. Her
deatb was caused by the bite Of rattle.
make received three years ago.
Surrounding her life since the rattle
40 hurled its deadly fangs in her fin
"ar is the most marvellous story Of o
anal existence ever recorded.
Tbree years ago Miss Ponder was q
.ondsome girl living in Walker county.
Ca at the foot Of the Coputta noun.
tains, She was in perfect health,
One day while working among fow-
oro Miss Ponder felt q keen pain In the
,,;ddle finger of her left hand. She was
horrified to hear the peculiar hiss of
maintain RATHER, the most venomous OF
snakes
,ants were poured down the girl until
che was in a state of stupefaotion. Her
life was saved only to doom her to years
of intense suffering.
The bloom faded from her cheeks,
her step lost its elastic spring, and she
began to grow thin and wan. Physi-
clans many of them distinguished in
the profession, were called. but the
girls disease baffied every effort at di-
agnosis. =,
Her trouble assumed many Of the
characteristics of tuberculosis Even in
the first two years her family and the
friends of the girl observed that she was
at times apparently another person. She
lost her frank and buoyant cordiality
and became crafty and sly.
One year ago she came to Rome to
live with a brother and to receive ex-
pert medical attention, and shortly aft
erward was confined to her bed. Then
all the characteristics of q serpent be-
came apparent in the girl. Her mind
was unimpaired to the end save when
she was dominated by that other terri
BILE self.
At such times her tongue would dart
out, peculiar kissing noise came from
her throat and the eyes assumed the
beady, glittering appearance OF a SER
pent's. Then every one feared to touch
her.
One night few weeks ago Miss Pom
der suddenly sat up rigid and erect in
bed She gazed at those present for a
moment, a terrible venomous light in
her eyes, then. seizing the cover, the
girl pulled it over her head tightly and
fell back on the pillow. 1t was thought
that she was dead, but such was not the
case.
She resisted every effort to draw the
Quilt away from her and remained thus
several hours. Now and then she raised
the corner of the quilt and looked al
those present, the eyes brilliant and
sparkling with an awful light. When
observed, she would quickly recover hel
head.
A few days ago the hands of CLOCK
ON the mantel stopped at exactly 1O:5(
o'clock, though the timepiece licked on
audibly. Morning and night since ther
at precisely 800 the clocks hands
have stopped. Miss Ponder died q,
1850. This is vouohed for by people Of
unquestioned integrity.
About two months ago one night
huge owl perched on the window
wherein the sick woman lay. Its dismal
boot curdled the blood of those present
When the bird had been frightened
away, Miss Ponder said, an unearthly
light shining in her wan face, "Tw'
months from now my soul will be re
leased. New York World.