The Ohio star. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1830-1854, 1852-12-08
Whole Number 1897

What are you going to do with these, Iker :
That's telling just now. Let alone for
day or two, aud then I'll show you neat tiick.'
But, what is it. Ike 2 urged Bill.
Never mind, now, Bill. You shall know time
enough @
Sealing up the small aperture in the top with
piece of shoemaker's wax, softened in the candle,
Ike deposited the box in his trunk for safe keeping
Three days after he came into the shop with his
prisoners.
'There'l be some fun tonight, boys, or Pm
Mistaken he said Lel's examine our eaptives'
Slowly removing the Iid the little animals were
found lying upon the bottom of the box, to all ap-
pearance dead. Their deep red color had changed
to lght bre~uetale, and they looked more like
thin, dry fakes of bran, than any thing else.
They re all dead, Ike.'
'Don't believe the half of it. Just look here,
and I'll show you if they re dead
Picking up one of the seemingly inanimate, thin
flakes, he placed it on the back of his hand, where
could hardly be distinguished, by its COLOR fom
the skin. For moment it lay there motonless
and then its fue legs began to quiyer and It's head
to move and bend down upon the skin of the hand
10 little while its head was perfectly distinguish
ed by small brown spot, and from this spot thin
dark line began to down its back. Gradually
this line widened, and the whole back assumed
darker hue.
/ Does he bite, Ike =
Don't he /! See how he is sucking up the blood.
He's about the keenest chap to bite ever felt
Ike still allowed the little animal to draw away,
until he was swelled up with the dark fluid, and
almost ready to burst; then brushing him off he
remarked in low chuckng voice.
Somebody III know more about chinches to-
night than they've ever known before.'
But what are you going to do with these bed
bugs, Ike you havnt told US yet
Oh, havn'G :! Well, Pm going to let em
have taste of the old woman after their long fast
You're jokng!'
Humph! The old lady WON'T think SO to-
night
But the old man III come in for shlre.'
$ WHO cares If he will go into bad company
he must take the consequences. But he's as bad
as she is, any day.
After dinner Ike watched his opportunity, anc
. slipped into the royal bed-chanber, whe all were
down stairs. Carefully turning up the bed clothe
t from the foot, he scattered the hundred half
it starved bugs between the sheets, SO low down
. that in turning the clothes from the top to ge
s into the bed, they would not be perceived.
k Did you do it, Ike p said Bill and Tom eager
O ly.
9 In course did,
:? They'll never find out who did it,
Of mo. They'll not even suspect any body
:. The garrett in which the boys slept was directl
over the chamber. of Mr.. and Mrs. Hardamer, an
L. when they went to bed they left their door oper
ID to hear much as possible of what should happe
lg below.
About ten O'Clock the old folks retired, and wer
just about losing themselves in sleep, when the
ID were each awakened by burning sensation abou
l. their feet and ankles. They bore it for awhile
silence and tried to go to sleep again neither be
lg ing aware that the other felt the same annoyance
Mt But the burning increased to snartng and sting
e. ing, and soon covered nearly their whole bodies.
er L feel just like was on fire. said Mrs. Harda
ed mer, who was first to complain.
SO SO do L. said her husband. There must b
w bugs in the bedl'
es Indeed and there can't be, then, for locke
be the bed all over to-day
n There must be, by jingu!' exclaimed Hard
mer, in reply, reaching suddenly down and scratc
ck iuS LIS ieS WHn all MS might.
I'd Something's the matter!' said the old lad
OF rubbing with like earnestuess and then creepir
eir out of bed.
light revealed about twenty lively fellow
: who had, in the short time allowed them fill,
- themselves pretty we'll. and now stood out in Fl
relief from the white sheets. These we
. caught and dealt with according to law. The b.
~ Eas and in tl,a baI;af tb,t III w,
not another live animal on the premises d
~ worthy couple again betook themselves to rest.
br But they were soon forced to turn out aga
70 smarting, burning, and itching all over. Thirty
~ forty more of the ravenous little creatures we
.d discovered and killed. and the bed and bedste
;, again thoroughly hunted over.
The Again did they seek to find rest; and gain we
d. they forced to leave their snug retreat. This til
,ad :hey abdieased their chamber and sought for
le- pose in another room and in another bed. He
,ad they were more fortunate, and after few effo
rd drive from their Imagination the idea that bl
,dy were all the while creeping over them, finally 81
les. ceeded in falling into a sound slumber, from wh
,rs. they did not awake until daylight
: at At breakfast time, while the boys were dsp
rd- ing of their cold corn bread, and weak, warm,
dis coffee, Mrs. Hardamer asked if they were tro,
lily. led much with bugs during the night
ght Not at all, ma'am,' said Ike, with grt
un- countenance.
L never was SO troubled with them in my Ii
eds. said Mrs. Hardamer.
i didn't feel any, did you, Bill p said Ike.
wa at all troubled responded Bill
=. voice that trenlbled with suppressed mirth.
!. as Well had to go into another room. / ne
saw so many in a bed in all my life! They m
EN-, nave al 'o"o oo"n IL an III 'o'" 'iie gary
,se,' There's pretty large army of 'em up in
garret, that know said HES but they kept pr
title iy quiet last night
mall We'll. I'd thank them to keep on their o