The Hillsdale standard. [volume] (Hillsdale, Mich.) 1851-1909, 1876-06-13
A RAT STORY.
From uAe Denver News.

From ule Denver News.
The number of rats inhabiting the
rocky creyices and cavernous passages
of Pixies Peak-says q correspondent
Of yesterdays Pueblo Chieftain--have
recently become formidable and dan
gerous. These animals are known to
feed upon a saccharine gum that per-
colates through the pores Of the rocks,
apparently upheaved by some volcanic
action. Since the establishment OF
Government signal-station on tho sum
NIT Of the Peak. at an altitude OF near
ly 15, 900 feet, these animals have ac-
quired voracious appetite for raw
and uneooked meat, the scent OF which
seems to impart TO them q ferocity RI
valing the herceness Of the starved ST.
barian wolf. The most singular trait
in tho character OF these animals is
that they are never seen in tho day
time. When the moon pours down her
queenly light upon the summit they
may be seen in countless numbers
trooping around among the rocky
boulders that crown the barren waste,
and during the warm summer months
they may be seen swimming and sport
ing in ths waters of the lake, n short
distance bslow tho Peak, and a darh
cloudy night their trail in the water
is marked by sparkling light, giving
the waters OF the lake bright and sill
very appearance. A few days ago MIR.
John Il. O'Keefe, one OF the govern
ment operators at tho signal station
upon the Peak, returned To his post,
taking with him upon pack animal
quarter of beef. 1t being late in the
afternoon, his colleague, Mr.. Hobbs,
Immediately left with the pack animal
for the Springs. Soon after dark,
while Mr. O'keefe was engaged in the
Office forwarding night dispatches to
Denver and Washington, he was start
led by loud scream from Mrs. o.
Kesfe, who had retired for the night
to an adjoining bedroom, and who
came rushing into the Office. scream.
ing, "The ratsl the rats" Mr.. o
Keefe, with great presence of mind i'm
mediately drew around his wife scroll
zinz.plating, which prevented the ami
mails from climbing upon her person,
aud, although his own person was al
most literally covered with them, he
succeeded in encasing both Of his legs
in O Joint of stove-pips, when he COM
menced u fierce and desperate struggle
for the preservation of life, being armed
v.iti. l.~s-. ------u u...s-l-~a~ --~s.a
destroyed on every side, while they
still seemed to pour with increasing
numbers from tho bedroom, the door
Of which had been left open. The en-
tire quarter of beef was eaten in less
than five minutes, which seemed to
only sharpen their appetite for an at
tack upon Mr.. O'Keefe, whose hands.
face, aud neck we're terribly larcerated.
In the midst OF the warfare Mrs. o.
Keefe managed to reach the Office, from
which she threw a coil OF electric wire
over her husband that sprapg outward
and spread itself over the room, then
grasping the valve OF the battery, she
poured all it's terrible power upon the
wire. In an instant the room was oil
ablsze with electric light, and hund-
reds were killed by the shock, when
the sudden appearance Of daylight,
made such by the coruscation OF the
heavily charged wire, caused them to
take refuge among the crevices and
caverns OF the mountain, by way Of the
bedroom window, through which they
had forced their way. But the saddsst
part Of this night adventure upon tue
Peak is the destroying OF their infant
child, which Mrs. O'keefo thought she
had made secure by a heavy covering
Of bed clothing. But the rats had
found their way to the infant, only
two months old, and loft nothing sof it
but the peeled and naked skull. Drs.
Horn and Anderson have just returned
to Colorado Springs from the Peak
1t was thought at first that the left
arm OF Sergt. U'Keefe would have to
be ampntatod, but they now believe it
can be saved.