Year: 1879

For some weeks the parents of Bertha
Miller, near Mt. Vernon, Ohio, had noticed
that their daughter was showing marks of
declining health, evidenced by an increas-
ingpaleness and emaciation and accompanied
by melancholy mood. So marked was
the change becoming that they began feel
ing great solicitude concerning her and con-
sultet physician about the matter. The
physician visited the girl, but was unable
to explain the cause of her decline or to
render her aid. 1t also fell under the OBJ
servation of her mother that each afternoon,
about three o'clock, the girl would leave
the house and remain away from one to
two hours This fact being communicated
to the other parent, il was decided to watch
the young lady and discover if possible the
reason for suoh habitual- -abSOnoo-- Aooor-
dinghy on the day following when the hour
had about arrived the father left the house
and watched for the going of his daughter.
In few minutes the young girl was on her
way through a wood and up ravine lead
ing from the house to small stone quarry,
some half mile distant, reaching which she
took seat on fiat stone, under small
clump of trees, and remained sitting there
quietly for several minutes, her head held
in one position, and eyes evidently fixed
on one spot. The father had gotten up so
near by this time that he could observe all
that would happen. In few moments, to
his amazement, there proceeded from the
direction in which the girl was looking
snake about four feet in length, and known
to him as our common backsnake or racer.
So astonished was he at the peculiar man
&c l.. &c
the reptile that he remained quiet in his
concealment to observe what would happen.
The snake crept slowly along towards the
girl until it halted close to her feet. After
remaining there mOtionless for minute or
more and gazing fixedly into the face of the
girl it slowly and stealthily began creeping
toward her, and in moment lay coiled in
her lap. The girl remained perfectly mo-
tionless, apparently not the least alarmed at
the presence of her visitor, but gazing in
tently at it. After lying in that position
for short time it slowly uncoiled, crept
down to the ground aud back to its hiding
place in the rocks The girl remained sit
ting motionless for a considerable time, and
then got up and retraced her steps to the
house. On the next day the father, at the
appointed time, took his gun and proceed
ing to the scene killed the reptile. The
girl, startled at the report of the gun, sprang
to her feet, but Immediately recognizing
her father, proceeded without further ado
back home with him. She, when interro-
gated, could give no Ineligible reason for
visiting the spot, except that at a certain
hour she felt strongly inclined to go and sit
there. She has rapidly recovered her health,
and appears in no wise affected in her mind.
Experts can offer no solution to this strange
proceeding, the most ineligible that the
animal possessed powerful mesmeric in.
t1uence, and had so wrought upon the mind
of the girl that she went automatically to
the place. This, in connection with an ac-
cumulated inherited disposition to be be-
guiled by serpent transmitted from our
first mother, Eve-offers the only rational
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