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Waimate Daily Advertiser, Volume VI, Issue 12, 31 January 1905, Page 4

The extraordinary religious mission of a man and woman named Watson, who had been in the town of Walhalla (Vic.) for a fortnight, delivering addresses, culminated in a sensational scene on Saturday, the 7th inst., when the woman in order to demonstrate the efficacy of faith healing, allowed a snake to bite her several times. A couple of miles beyond the outskirts of the town the Watsons found a black snake, and the woman securing it allowed it to bite her on the arm several times. A number of persons witnessed the occurrence, and state that the snake attacked the woma savagely. While it was biting her the woman exclaimed to the bystanders, “ Did you ever see the clergymau do that f” In answer to questions, she remarked that she Had done it “ for the Lord's sake.” The man took charge ofthe snake, and carried it aboty with him. The police made irj quiries next day, and ascertained that the woman has certainly received injuries to an arm, which was swollen in a manner suggesting snake bite. In reply to inquiry by a constable as to whether an antidote had been used, the Watsons replied in the negative, making a statement to the effect that their -beliefs saved them from harm.

Clerk: lam sorry I can’t read thia letter, sir ; the writing is so bad. Employer : Nonsense I Any idiot can read that! Pass it over here.