A BRAVE LADY.

Waikato Times, Volume VII, Issue 341, 21 July 1874, Page 3

A BRAVE LADY.

On Saturday, May 2, Mrs Eliza Wilson, wife of Andrew Wilson, who lives four mile* south of Coopertown, and daughter of Robert Head, Esq , all of Eobertson County, stepped outiidc the yurd into the edge of a grove to get a tooth-brush, and while in the act ot breaking a twig, she felt something move about her right foot. She stepped forward to see what it was, when a large, spreading adder struck her in the breast, fastening his fangs m the bosom of her dress. It then dropped back, and then, to her horror, she found she was on the reptile near to its tail. Her first impulse wu to run, but she discovered that the monster was coiling himself round her ankle. She stooped, and with great presence of mind seized the only opportune moment offered, that of putting her left foot upon his head, which she did, thereby fastening him securely to the ground. There she stood, all alone, with one foot on the reptile's head, while nearly his whole length — about three feet — was tightly wrapped about her ankly. She screamed at the top of her voice, but there was no one near enough to hear her ■voice and come to her relief. Her husband was in a distant field ploughing, and it being no later than 9 o'clock, and having failed to make any of her neighbours hear her — iomo of whom lived within a few hundred yards — she stood in suspense, not knowing what to do or how to act. Durimg her meditations thousands of thoughts rushed across her mind, and not knowing but she, in all probability, was bitten ; but after all, so far, she had been victorious : thus encouraged she resorted to the only alternative left — which was to unwrap him with her hands. She commenced the loathsome ordeal, the rusty monster writhing with great force, unwilling to quit his hold. Sin finally succeeded ; but another crisis awaitod her. If she let him go, he would, perhaps recoil hinself around her ankle before she could disengage her foot from his head and escape- If she took her fot off his head while she held him with her hands, he would, more than likely bite her before she could release him and escape. With the same presence of mind and undaunted courage that had fortified and bad saved her thus far, she looked around and saw that she was standing within a few feet of a small sapling, and with heroic determination, she resolved to fling his head against it. She made the effort and succeeded, which stunned him so much that he had but little of life remaining ; she then took a stone and smashed his head off, and escaped unharmed. She "reports his head as appearing aa broad as her two hands when he struck her in the bosom. Notwithstanding, she thinks she was not much alarmed until after she got buck into the yard, when she turned sick. She managed to get into the house and took a dose of nervous stimulant, which lvlieved her. For several hours alter, her hands and arms seomed to bo swollen and of a dark color, which made her apprehensive that she was bitten ; but finding not the least icratch on them, she was soon content. To our certain knowledge we nerer before heard of a case where moro courage and true bravery was displayed by either male or female.