The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1898-11-03
MEYER SYCLE,
1913 T.. Broad ST.. Next Cor. list.

that seem TO be natural and prolific re-
sorts for snakes OF all kinds, and Lyon
always faV0rs that stream FOR fishing.
because on each trip he Is sure TO run
across a score or so of the reptiles he
hates. The creek IS not favord much BY
other fishermen for the same reason that
Lyon takes II. although IL IS an excel
lent trout stream. Like a great many
backwOodsmen Lyon j. suDcrstitious. and
he believed that the ghost Of the black
snake was the sp0ok OF some big black
snake no had killed undr some particu-
larry cOld-blooded and unprovOked CIR
cumstanccs, and that IL had come back
to haunt him. He said that the spectre
serpent was 4 big as any blacksnawe he
had ever seen. but II was pure white and
almost transparent and got up suddenly
IN front OF him. as if II had come right
out Of the ground or air. and put on a
treatcnng front toward him for few
seconds. thrusting out a tongue as red
as fire and glazing at him with red eyes.
He was paralyZed at the sight, and when
he recovered he saw the snake gliding
away apparently without touching the
ground until it vanished
Tnis fantastic story. of course. was
ridiculed By everybody who heard il. and
Lyon was made game OF for his credulity
But he stuck to his story, and the next
was the first day during any front season
for long as any one could remember
that he failed 10 spend on LENS Creek.
The place where ne said he saw the
spook Of the big blacksnake was a su.
perlor locality for snakes. The day after
the alleged appearance of the ophidian
spectre Ira Wagner took a day off and
went fishing on LENS Creek. He came
back to the mills early in the day in a
state Of mind. He threw a great many
others into a state of mind. too, for lc
declared that he had seen the spOoK
blacksnake Of Split Rock Bend. Accord
ing TO his story II had not The ethereal
tributes which Lyon described but il was
white from snout TO tail and had an eX-
ceedngly red tongue and unmistakable
red eyes Wagner saw the snake rise
suddenly from a pile OF stones, just az
big blacksnakes always do, and then il
glided away and was lost among the
rocks.
The statement Of Ira Wagner put
different face on Lyon story. and the
mysterious white blacksnake became the
one great subject of discussion at the
Mills White crows had been heard of
by 4 good many citizens, and one OLD
resident said he had seen one. Another
resident confessed TO having shot and
killed "a white black squirrel. Another re-
spOnsiDle citizen remembered that one
season a large part OF the berries on his
black currant bush were white. But no
one had ever heard or dreamed Of such
a thing az a white blacksnake, and as not
a few of the male population of the Mills
had dreamed of almost every kind or
snake In their day IL was resolved 10 do
something about this one. committee
of three was appointed to so 10 Spit
Rock Bend and investigate the matter
further Ira Wagner. George Riley. and
Samuel White were the committee Each
carried a gun. The committee went TO
the bend. and the first official act 1t per-
formed was terrific yell from George
Rily. who dropped his gun and headed for
home like mad. The white blacksnake
had appeared 10 him. and he couldn't
stand the sight. Ira Wagner saw It at
rocks. with IFS head high In the air Ike
a regular blacksnake. Wagner blazed
away at the snake and the result proved
that il wasn't a ghost. The charge Of
shot landed In the snakes head. and the
serpent dropped and writhed and wrig-
eled with the genuine pain of mortal
reptilitv lying wounded The serpent
soon died ana n was horne in triumph
10 the Mills II was nearly pure white its
entire length. Its eyes were of the true
Albino pink. and its tongue was red. It
measured nearly six feet in length.
Whatever induced this blacksnake 10 be
white nobody will ever know but It gave
the population OF the Mills turn.-N. Y.
Sun