[Milton (W. Va.) Special.]

    There is a place on Big Two Mile creek, about three and a half miles east of this place, known as “The Buzzard Den.” It is a large cave in the point of a ridge which extends down between two branches to the rock gorge which incases the creek for nearly its whole length. This cave it entered by a small doorway, which extends down an inclined plane for about twenty feet, there opening into a large rugged room, which has not been explored.
    On last Sunday morning as Melsear Braley, a young man of about twenty years, was passing that place en route to his brother’s, about a mile below on the creek, he heard a sheep bleating piteously as it in great distress. Upon going nearer he found the bleating proceeded from the month of the cavern. He approached nearer the place, when, upon suddenly turning the corner of a huge bowlder, he beheld a sight which sent his blood in an arctic flood up his back and standing his hair on end. Ho beheld the bead of a huge serpent protruding from the entrance of the cavern with the hind quarters of a sheep in his mouth, swallowing it gradually, while the sheep was omitting its mournful sound. Braley, being a brave young lad, thought to relieve the sheep, so hurrying up the hill above the cavern he rolled a huge bowlder down upon the monster. This maddened him to such an extent that he let the sheep go with a terrific snort, which could be heard a half mile, and rushed from the cave like a huge tree.
    It was about forty feet long, with large black and yellow stripes running length-wise of its body. The head and neck were black and sleek, and the tail for several feet from the end was of a dull brown color. The sudden appearance of the monster so frightened the lad that he rushed for home at a 2:40 gait, where he soon arrived out of breath, and told his experience, whereupon his father, elder brother and brother-in-law, together with two or three neighbors who had been summoned, armed with all the fire-arms that could be had, started for the cavern prepared to make an invasion of the enemy’s country.
    Upon arriving at the place nothing could be seen of the snake or the sheep, but upon approaching the mouth of the cavern a sickening stench met them, such as that coming from a maddened snake, and its fierce blowings and hissings could be heard. They could do nothing with him, so had to return to their homes. A search will be organized to hunt up the monster. No one knows where he came from, as this is his first appearance. The country for several miles around is heavily wooded, and he may have been around for some time. It is to be hoped he will soon be killed.

From— The St. Charles Herald. (Hahnville, La.), 05 Feb. 1887. Chronicling America: Historic American Newspapers. Lib. of Congress.