Randolph County journal. [volume] (Winchester, Randolph County, Ind.) 1855-1862, 1859-06-16

was not buzz. or hiss, or scratching.
but seemed a compound Of them all,
differing from any sound l had ever
heard before. When the light was
extinguished this strange noise In
creased. and while | lay listening.
wondering what it could be, l found
myself attacked on all sides by bugs.
leapcd ont Of bed. struck light.
and oh! horribiel-what sight was
revealed! Bed-bugs of all sizes. from
the size OF an ordinary turtle down to
the largest / had ever seen before. none
smaller, were charging over the bed,
and issuing from the cracks in the
floor and ceiling. running in all direc-
tions. and cycling me with malignant
scrutiny.
/ hastily drew on my boots and re-
treated to corner of the room, where
wash stand and my trunk were
standing. As the bugs advanced upon
me | trampled upon them. but there
were too many to be overcome in this
way; besides, some of the knowing
ones ran back to the bed, and up the
bed posts. and jumped from the top
of the posts at my neck and shoulders.
This movement alarmed me greatly,
but with remarkable presence of mind
| caught up bottle Of chloroform /
had in my trunk. which fortunately
happened to be unpacked, and poured
it into the wash-bowl / then took a
broom that had been left in the room,
and dipping it in the bowl. scattered
the chloroiorm upon the mass of bugs
around me. The intense excitement
which l was enduring prevented any
Supplying effect on me, but soon
saw it was working well with the bugs.
The smaller ones first yielded to its
influence, then the larger ones gradu-
ally relaxed their efforts, and came
more tardily toward me when / swept
them from me with the broom.
In about half an hour all of them
were quiet, for / had scattered over
them a dozen bottles of the best chic
rolorm. Then l surveyed the scene
around me, and piled up like a huge
winrow about three feet high, were
bugs. bugs, nothing but bugs!
l looked upon them for a moment
and the cold sweat started in large
drops from my forehad as / reflected
that my chloroform was all exhausted
and that as soon as its stupefying eff
feet had passed off the attack wou,
be renewed upon me. But my gooC
fortune did not then forsake me.
went to the bed, stripped off tn
sheets, spread one of them upon th'
floor, and swept as many bugs upon j
as it would hold, and then tied tn
corners together as tightly as | could
After using the other sheet in the sam
way, | took the outside spread, which
was some thin fabric, and filled it il
the same manner. Then | tore dowl
the damask curtains from the win
dows, and tied in them all they woul,
hold. BY this time had disposed o
nearly all the bugs, and having larg
silk handkerchief, l swept the balanc
into it and tied them up tightly.
This gave me three large bundles o
bugs. two of lesser size, and on
smaller still. Ny next trouble was t
dispose of the bundles. / examines
; the windows and found them too smaI
for the large ones, and / dare no
; for my life unite them. The door
; too. was narrow and equally useless
| then put on my clothes. took M
trunk on my shoulder and left tn
room. locking the door and putin
the key in my pocket. hastened t
the depot, arriving just in time for til
midnight train going south.
The next morning. as | was inform
ell 10y subsequent traveller who passe
through the place, but did not sta
over night. the landlord went to til
room to see how had fared; and aitt
knocking a while, burst open the doc
and not finding me or my baggag,
instantly comprehended what l ha
done, and in rage opened one Of tn
| bundles to release his active coadjt
tors. But the chloroform had indee
made them as crazy as bed-bugs, an
without any respect of persons the
d violently attacked him. He repelle
the onset vigorously. and many of tt
: assailants were killed outright; but {
y all that bit and sucked for his bloc
G first imbibed the bad whisky wi,
d which he was surcharged, most of the
got on a ''bender" and become Il
"groggy" for active service, so tn
! he was thus enabled to overpow
o them-not, however, until they HI
e reduced his corporocity to compar
l. lively small dimensions.