The south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1879-1883, 1882-07-11

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just in the act OF being led 10 the pia-
no BY Jack Walton. her avowed low
er aud admirer. He was tall and
dark. handsome, and promising to
mike his mark IN the world. Peoplc
said they would mako splendid
couple, aud believe that Mary, too,
had a lingering suspicion of the fact
At least, she did not frown upon Jack
more than a modest, well-sppointed
young lady should do. But Jack was
timid and had never told his loyc
The rest Of the party were grouped
about the room on chairs and sofas
and all chatting NJ merrily as black
birds IN cherry tree
The ladies were all dressed in white
muslins, low -necked and short sleeves
forming as enchanting group of real
living beauties ga can be found no.
where but in Kentucky. Each onr
was beauty In hor own style. Old
Mrs. aud Mr.. Smith had already en-.
tered the pnrlor, and were heartily
engaged III the conversation and list
cring 10 the rippling laughter OF the
young people. Mary Darling was
seated OF the piano stool, with sheet
of n popular AR from "Aida' before
her while Jack stood behind her, iea
dy. proud and willing to turn the
leaves. Mary's white fingers were
running over the keys through the
symphony preparatory TO singing the
air.
All at once an 0minous sound
struck upon the acute hearing Of all
present. An instantaneous silence
fell upon that gay party. The rip
pling laughter and lisping voices
hushcd as suddenly as Ii they all
heard the crack OF doom at one and
the same moment. 1t was-it was
the deep, ominous droning ofa huge
pinching-bug making his grande
enfrce into the parlor.
The ladies held their breath their
cyes Frightened and flashed and were
turned upward toward the ceiling,
Their checks blanched as white as II a
daring desperate had leaped unbidden
into the room. Each one seized her
fan aud PLACED herself an the defen.
sive. like a brave Kentucky girl
should do. while all thought of the
open door as the means of escape
from impending danger.
"Oh, there's pincl,ing;bug thev
all cried with one voice, trcmnlons
with terror aud trepidation, "Oh, get
a broom, somebody, and put him out,
they cried with the next breath,
And the same instant the bug
'zipped" down among the lights ol
the candelabra and fell into the lap ol
one of the young girls. This was ths
signal for q general and ingloriou'
flight. The two ladies looking
through the album uttered the mos,
piercing, heart-rending shrieks, fought
aimlessly with their fans, sprang ny
wildly, overturned the center table
and ex,inguished the lights. And
now every girl fled TO the same cor.
uer Of the room, all trembling, nerv.
ous, quiyering In All agony OF fright
pulling aud dragging at each other
trying frnntically to shelter hersel
behiud some one else. There was {
perfect uproar. as If a ramping and ,
raving lion had dashed In amongs
them. The mems voices tried Il
quell the storm, but like Rachel, eacl
lady refused to be comforted. Jus
then the droning of the victorious
bug was heard as he circled his fiigh
around the room, zipping aud thump
ing any aud anywhere.
There were two wax candles burn
Ing on the piano but at the first not,
of alarm Mary Darling had ceased Il
Sing, and now sat erect with vivi,
alarm depicted IN every feature
The white morbidezzar OF her pcrfec
shoulders, all rounded aud gleainin,
waxy white, shone out fully in III
light Of the only candles loft burning
OF course tho bug insllnctlvely mad
dash for this attractive point, an,
tipped right into the classic folds Q
her brilliant coiflure.
Had lighting struck her right un
| der the burr Of the ear 1t could nc
have produced more astonishing re
suits. She struck wildly, savagely 8
the rowing bug, and, orcourse, mise
III; but instead, knocked her comb
right and left and scattered them I
the tour quarters Of the room, lie
hair fell loosely over her shoulder
and, simultaneously with screams rel
the air with thrilling yclls for hell
She lcaped from the stool, overturne
the stand and stood like an enthuse
Pythoness dethroned from her tripot
leaning forward aud every featui
replete with shuddering horror, A
the same moment the offending bu
fell on her lovely neck and rolled int
her bosom as she was bending fol
t ward, the position affording the ami
, lest opportunity for the bug to IA
between her dress and her bosom
As the bug entered "tbe holy OF ho
iesn she clutched IL wildly and dance
around like one utterly demente,
aud gyrated aud piroutted like ma
danseus, screaming in unison staccal
more frenziedly as she felt the DARN
, intruder wriggling and fiuttering
its close confines, scratching the tel
, der, delicate flesh with its roue
autenne. aud armed claws. 81
, kicked to the right and LETT in a ma,
. ner that would have excited the env
ofLo,ta IN her most wsthelic etylc
: "Oh, get him out, take him out !
, Is tearing me to pieces; he will X
/ me, for Gods sake take him out
my BOSOM" she cried in accents
. stridulous terror.
!, "Oh, Jack, help me, he Is tearii
my flcsh. Why don't you help n
, fool" and then scream after screa
1 followed, with scarcely an interru
ton, while she still held on to the b,
in theliolds.of the dainty white musl
! Jack was sianding all this while pc
/ fectlycaghas,, pale as a ghost, nor da
ing to extricale the villainous intru
ae