Year: 1867




TWO CHILDREN BITTEN BY RATTLEsNAKE
AND THIRD DROWNED IN THE SAME HOUR


Never in our experience as journalists has
1t been our duty to chronicle an Occurrences
more horrid in its details than the one we
are about to relate.


Inc sad affair that left widowed mother
cmldless, and for the time being almost be-
reit OF reason, happened about the 18th ult..
in the adjoining county of Allen, short
distance from the Warren county line. and
in the vicinity of Anthony's Mill. The
heart-rending details, as related to us by
persons of unquestionabe veracity, are about
those Some two months since Mrs. Blank
enship, lady of respectability, lost her hus-
band from disease, and was left with thrso
chiluren, two Interesting boys and little
girl, Just large enough to walk alone and be-
guile the lonely hours of the mother with
It's innocent prattle. On the 10th ult., the
mother, Mrs. Blankenship, for the purpose
oil washing clothes, repaired to the spring
branch near the house in the locality referred
to, taking her children with her, the house
dog following behind. She had been engaged
u washing but short time when the dog
was heard barking necessarily on the hill
near by Thinking that the dog had posi-
ply treed raccoon or had rabbit at bay,
The two little boys propose. going at oucs to
secure the game. With the mothers consent
the little fellows started off in high glee.
Alas! better had they never been born. On
reaching the spot where the dog was barking
they saw short distance from the dog
large object coiled at the foot of a stump, in
hostile attitude, keeping the dog at bay.
Ihey looked but moment. Eager only TO
capture the supposed game, and not think
ing OF danger, nor knowing the nature of
the prey, they approached the hideous
monster that in fatality of attack ''outvenoma
all the worms of Nile" The oldest of tho
two boys approached first, with his little
hands outstretched and his face aglow at
the prospect of his prize, he said, ''I'll get
him, brother.n One step more and he rush
cd to death more terrible and speedy than
were the tortures of tabled LAGOON. With
one dart of his lorked tongue, with one death
rattle of his tail, the huge rattlesnake--fer





folds and with one dart forward planted his
enyenomed fangs in the flesh of the boy,
and left the deadly poison coursing hot
through his young veins. Again and again
was the boy bitten by the fatal reptile till
he fell exhausted in the coils of the monster.
The other little fellow rushed forward to
the relief of his little brother, and he also
| rpcpivpd fha daadIxy fonra ~ tho sar.art i.
several places, The screams of the boys
alarmed the mother, who was still washing
at the branch, and leaving her baby girl she
ran irantically to the spot. What sight
there met her gaze Putrid with poison,
swollen and black, and bitten in many places,
one OF her boys was already dead, and tho
other dying from the same cause The snake
had crawled away, and the living boy lived
Just long enough to tell the circumstance Of
their DEATH Overwhelmed with an intensity
OF agony which mothers alone can feel, she
remained at the fatal spot short time, when
she bethought her Of her little girl at the
branch and hurried back.


On reaching the spot horrible as it may
seem, she found that the little girl had walk
ed TO the wash-tub, into which she had fallen
head foremost and was drowned, 'and it too
was gone" The mothers cup of misery
was full; not another drop could be added.
Berett of children, and almost Of reason,
she sank under the accumulated horrors Of
the hour Assistance was procured the heart
crushed woman and the remains of her
ntstlings were taken charge Of and cared
for. A short time after large rattlesnake,
with thirteen rattles, was killed near the
spot where the boys were bitten.


The event created profound sensation ip
the community, and has scarcely parable
even in the exciting annals of our early
hardy pioneers.