John Russell ( b. 1793, d. 1863 ) graduated at Middlebury College, Vt., in 1818. He was at one time editor of the "Backwoodsman," published at Grafton, III., and later of the "Louisville Advocate." He was the author of many tales of western adventure and of numerous essays, sketches, etc. His language is clear, chaste, and classical; his style concise, vigorous, and sometimes highly ornate.

Who has not heard of the rattlesnake or copperhead? An unexpected sight of either of these reptiles will make even the lords of creation recoil; but there is a species of worm, found in various parts of this country, which conveys a poison of a nature so deadly that, compared with it, even the venom of the rattlesnake is harmless. To guard our readers against this foe of human kind is the object of this lesson.

This worm varies much in size. It is frequently an inch in diameter, but, as it is rarely seen except when coiled, its length can hardly be conjectured. It is of a dull lead color, and generally lives near a spring or small stream of water, and bites the unfortunate people who are in the habit of going there to drink. The brute creation it never molests. They avoid it with the same instinct that teaches the animals of India to shun the deadly cobra.

Several of these reptiles have long infested our settlements, to the misery and destruction of many of our fellow citizens. I have, therefore, had frequent opportunities of being the melancholy spectator of the effects produced by the subtile poison which this worm infuses.

The symptoms of its bite are terrible. The eyes of the patient become red and fiery, his tongue swells to an immoderate size, and obstructs his utterance; and delirium of the most horrid character quickly follows. Sometimes, in his madness, he attempts the destruction of his nearest friends.

If the sufferer has a family, his weeping wife and helpless infants are not unfrequently the objects of his frantic fury. In a word, he exhibits, to the life, all the detestable passions that rankle in the bosom of a savage; and such is the spell in which his senses are locked, that no sooner has the unhappy patient recovered from the paroxysm of insanity occasioned by the bite, than he seeks out the destroyer for the sole purpose of being bitten again.

I have seen a good old father, his locks as white as snow, his step slow and trembling, beg in vain of his only son to quit the lurking place of the worm. My heart bled when he turned away; for I knew the fond hope that his son would be the"staff of his declining years," had supported him through many a sorrow.

Youths of America, would you know the name of this reptile? It is called the WORM OF THE STILL.

約翰·羅素(1793～1863年)，1818年畢業于佛蒙特州米德勒伯利學院。他曾經是伊里諾斯州格拉夫頓出版的雜志《山居人》的編輯，后來擔任《路易斯維爾倡導者》的編輯。他寫過很多西部探險故事和散文，也創作過很多小品。他的文章語言清晰、樸素典雅，文風時而簡潔緊湊，時而細致華麗。

誰沒聽說過響尾蛇或銅斑蛇?即使是造物主出其不意地見到這兩種蛇中的一種，也會嚇得后退的。但是有一種蟲子，這種蟲子遍布全國，它身體里的毒性非常致命，響尾蛇的毒液都無法與它相提并論。這個故事的主旨，就是要告訴我們的讀者，要小心這個人類的敵人。

這種蟲子的大小不一，它的直徑通常有一英寸，但因為人們看到它時它總是蜷曲著的，人們很難估計它的長度。它的顏色呈暗淡鉛色，通常生活在泉水或小溪邊，對經常來這里喝水的人狠咬一口。這種殘忍的生物總是不慌不忙，從不慌亂。他們具有像印度動物一樣的本能，避免遭到眼鏡蛇的襲擊。

這幾種爬行動物在人類的聚居地大量繁衍，給人們帶來很多痛苦和不幸。因此，我看到過很多次，這種蟲子注射的毒汁帶來了怎樣的后果。

被它咬過之后，癥狀真是可怕。病人的眼睛變得通紅熾熱，舌頭腫大沒法發聲，然后他會變得極度瘋狂，有時甚至會對最親密的朋友下毒手。

如果受害人有家庭，他往往將一腔暴怒發泄在他哭泣的妻子和無助的嬰兒身上。總之，他展示一切野蠻人心底的狂暴憤怒，也就是說，毒性使他喪失了理智。當狂躁的病人從蟲咬導致的瘋狂的發作中恢復以后，他很快就會找到罪魁禍首，但卻又會被咬到。

我曾見過一位好父親，他的頭發像雪一樣白，步履緩慢沉重，徒勞地懇求他的獨生子破壞蟲子的潛伏地。他掉頭離開的時候，我的心在淌血，因為我知道他的“我的兒子是我殘年中的幫手”的希望支撐他克服了很多悲傷。

年輕人，你們知道這種爬蟲的名字嗎？它就叫做寂寞。