The Bedford gazette. [volume] (Bedford, Pa.) 1805-current, 1858-01-22
A CASE OF IMAGINATION.

We were the witness OF a very lUdicronS in
cident which occurred in this city few days
since, for relating which we crave the indul-
gence OF the gentleman directly concerned
deeming il too good joke to be lost.
While sitting at our desk and laboring assidu-
ousy with pen. scissors, and paste, TO make
out readable paper for our patrons, were
snddenly frightenpe from our nroprety, BY
Fabe hasty fsntranQe OF gentleman. exclaIm-
ing
''For Gods sake, help me TO see what is the
matter I've got some dreadful thing -scorpi-
on or tarantnla-in the leg of my pantaoons !"
Quick-quick-help me- ~
We instantly rose trome our chair, half fright
ened ourselves. Our friend had broken in so
suddenly and Unexpectedly upon Us and was so
wonderfully agtaed, that we knew not wheth-
er he was 10 hlS senses or not. We looked al
him with sort OF surprise mixed with dread,
| and hardly knew whether TO speak with or con-
fine him as a madman. The latter we came
very near attempting. There be stood ,quiyer-
ing and pale, with one hand tightly grasped
upon part OF the pantaloons. just in the hollow
OF the knee.
''What's the malter?" asked we at last.
''The matter !" he exclaimed, "Oh, help me!
I've got something here, which Just ran up nv
leg Some internal lizard or scorpion, expect
Oh, | can't let 60 !; must hold it. Oh, there"
he shrieked, Il iet it move Just then Oh
these pants without straps I'll never wear an
other pair open at the bottom as long as l live.
All, / feel II again"
"Feel what % we inquired, standing at the
same time, at respectful distance from the gen.
trman for We had just been reading onr Cor
puS Christi correspondents letter about snakes,
lizards, and Iarantulas, and began 10 imagine
some deadly object or reptile in the leg Of our
friends unmentionable as they are sometimes
called.
81 don't know what it is, answered the gem
tiemau help me to see what it is. | was Just
passing the pile of rubbish there in front of
your office, and felt It dart up my leg as quick
as lIghtnng,'' he clenched his fist more tight
ly. If 1t had been the neck of an anacon-
da, we believed he would have squeezed il 10
ajelly.
By this time two or three of the news5oys
had come in the clerks aud packing boys hear
ing the outcry stopped working, and editors aud
all hands stood around the sufferer with ming
led sympathy and alarm.
:EBring d chair, Fritz" said We, ''and let the
30, can't sit, said the gentleman 81 can't
bend my knee If do, it will bite or sting me;
no, can't sit.''
'sCertainIy you can sit" said we; "kee your
leg straight Out, and we'll see what i. is you
have got"
"WeIl, let me give it one more hard squeeze;
I'll crush it 10 death, said he, and again be put
the force Of an iron vice upon the thing. il it
had anv life left this last effort must have killed
it, He then cautiously seated himself, holding
out his leg as stiff aud as straight as poker
A sharp knife was procured the pants were cut
open carefully, making hole large enough to
admit hand the gentleman put on thick
gloves, and slowly inserted his hand, but he dis
covered nothing. We were looking on IN al
most GREATNESS silence, TO see the monstrous
thing whatever it might be each ready to
scamper out of harms way, should it be alive,
when suddenly the gentleman became, It possl-
bic more agitated than ever.
sBy heavens ?" he exclaimed, SITS inside of
my,drawers. 'I's alive, tool feel 1t quick
give me the knife again 90
Another incision was made-in " emf the gen
tieman's gIoYed hand once more, and 10, out