The Grange advance. [volume] (Red Wing, Minn.) 1873-1877, 1875-07-20


another and faster press. The same
state Of things as to the evening and
morning papers exists in4Hartford. g.. # Hill
A. Old Yarn hevived.-A.3.H Horrible
sss Australian Plant. E ~
Elf you can imagine, says the South
Australian Register, a pine apple, eight
feet high and thick il proportion, resting
upon its base and denuded Of leaves you
will have good idea Of the trunk Of the
tree which, however, was not the color of
an ananas, but was dark, dingy brown,
and apparently as hard as iron. From
the apex Of this truncated cone lat least
two feet in diameter) eight huge leaves
sheer to the ground, like doors swinging
back on their hinges. These leaves which
are joined at the top Of the trees at regu-
lar intervals, were about eleven or twelve
feet long and shaped very much like the
leaves Of an American agave or century
plant. They are twoA feet through at
their thickest part and three feet wide,
taperIng to sharp point that looked
very much like cows horn, very con:
vex on the outer (but not under) surfac:
and on the under mo -upper) surface
slightly concave. This concave surface
was thickly set with strong horny hooks
like those on the head of teazle. These
leaves leave hanging thus limp and liEeless,
dead green in COLOR. had in appearance
the massive strength of oak fiber. The
apex OF the cone was round concave
figure like smaller plate set within
larger one. This was not a flower but
receptacle, and there exudes
a clear. treacly, liquid honey, sweet and
possessed Of violent Intoxicating soporific
properties. From underneath the rim ESQ
to speak, of the undermost plate, series
OF long, hairy. green tendrils stretched
out in every direction towards the hori-
ION. These were seven or eight feet
long and tapered from four inches to
half an inch in diameter, vet they
stretched out as stiff1y as iron rods
Above these (from between the upper and
under cups) six white almost transparent
palpi reared themselves towards the sky,
twirling and twisting with marvellous in.
cessant motion, yet constantly reaching
upward. Thin as reeds and frail as quilts,
apparently, they were yet five or six feet
tall, and were so constantly and vigorous
ly IN motion, with such subtitle. snuous7
silent throbbing against the air, with
their suggestions of serpents fayed.
My observations OH this occasion were
suddenly interrupted by the natives who
had been sbrieking around the tree with
their shrill voices, and chanting what
Hendrick told me were propitia-
tory hymns to the great tree
devil. With still wilder shrieks and
chants they now surrounded one of the
and urged her with the points of
their javelins, until slowly, and with des-
pairing face, she climbed up the stalk of
the tree, and stood On the summit Of the
cone, the palpi whirling all about her.
Tsik ! Tsik! drink drink y cried the
men. STOPPING she drank Of the viscid
fluid in the cup, rising instantly again,
with wild frenzy in her face, and convul-
sive cords iii her limbs. But she did not
Jump down as she seemed to intend to.
Oh, no! The atrocious canniDal tree,
that had been so inert and dead. came to
sudden savage life. The delicate palpi
with the fury Of starved scrpents, quiv.
cred moment over her head, then as if
instinct with demoniac intelligence, fast
ened upon her in sudden coils ar ound and
around her neck and arms, and while her
awful screams and yet more aSful laugh
ter rose wildly to be instantly strangled
down again into gurgling moan, the
tendrlls one after another, like great
green serpents, with brutal energy and
internal rapidity, rose, protracted them
selves, and wrapped her about i'm fold
after fold, ever Tightening with the cruel
swiftntss and savage tenacity of anacon-
das fastening upon their prey.
1t was the barbarity of the LAGOON
without it's beauty-this+ strange. horrible
murder. And now the great leaves rose
slowly and stif1y, like the arms of der.
rick, erected themselves in the air ap-
preached one another and closed about
the dead and hampered victim with the
silent force of hydraulic press and the
ruthless purpose of thumb screw. A
moment more, and while could see the
basis of these great levers pressing more
tightly toward each other from their in
sterstices there trickled down the stalk of
the tree great streams of viscid honey
like fluid, mingled horribly with the
blood and oozing viscera of the victim.
At sight of this the hordes around me,
yelling madly, bounded forward, crowded
to the tree. clasped it., and with cups,
leaves, hands. and tongues, each one OBJ.
tanned enough Of the liquid to send him
mad and frantic.
How Responsible Government Clerks
arc Tempted.
Washington Correspondence Chicago Times.]
The developments in the Avery case
have called attention to the possibilities
of illicit gains in the numerous snbordi-
nate oftice of the government. A gov
eminent official who holds a position
where he comes into possession Of infor-