Seattle daily post-intelligencer. [volume] (Seattle, W.T. [Wash.]) 1881-1888, 1883-02-13
TEE TEXAS CENTlPEDE.

This interesting insect is not 20 much
celebrated for its amiabilty OF disposi-
ton as for its good looks; but, az the saiDe
time. ve cannot recommend 1t either -
a paflor ornament or rs a toy<or chic
to play with, unless it ID second hano
child that no one has any particular Use
for. Centipedss are different sizes, bu'
thew are all made after pretty much the
same pattern. They are made up OF aboui
one third sting, ons-third bite and one
third general cusssdness. They ars case
mated with shell that is as hard as the
bark of a boarding house cranberry pie.
The length of the centipsds varies very
much: but il q csntipede wants to get n
mention in a local paper, he has TO stretoh
himaeIf ont 70 about nine inches long.
We have never read of one that mea-
cured less. His body, which is q success
sion Of fiat joints, IL NOS mach broader
than an ordinary mans hnRef. lie
centipede il built on the ironciad sys-
tenn, although 1t does not make quite as
much noise as the English feet lombard
ing Alexandria. In fact, tie centipeds
Is not musical at all; but II 1t happens
to crawl over man, 1t Will make hiIn
very musical Immediately.
Its head or bow, comparing 1t to al
ironclad, is armed with pair OF plncers,
which, besides being as vcnomous as tut
editor of party organ. can bitc the snd
of an iron safe. Each side Ii armed
with about forty short legs, and each iel
il armed with sting like that Of wasp.
The eentipsde terminates In pair vi
hooks, which, like its pincers, are rcd
hot; 10 We have been told BY al innocen1
young man who undertook to pick it ny
By its stem. When a centipede anchors
his head in the fleshy anatomy of hu
man being, throws out his two graphing
irons from his rear, and then draws his
: eighty odd (vsry odd claws together,
Is will bring tears to tho heart Of al
Irish landlord to SEQ how the little pet
holds.
Inc bite of the centipede rarely causes
death, but it makes the bitten party wish
he were dead for short time, at least,
and leaves An ugly sore. The statement
that the bite of o centipede docs not
cause death is liable to correction. The
centipede is very apt to become q ere
mains" after it bites person, rs there Is
quite prejudice against 1t. For this
reason II il very much secluded in its
habits, living III retirement among the
rocks of old buildings. Its diet il be-
heved to be insects that are not 30 heav-
lily armed and ironclad. Why the cent?
pede was created in the first place. and
what good purpose it serves, are pro
found mysteries to the ordinary intel
lect.
One evening about dusk Texas gen
Geman Of scientific turn Of mind was
sitting ON his front gallery when his at
tention was called 10 an extraordinary
meteorological cancatenatiop, as circus
men say. A peculiar shaped cloud seemed
70 reach down from the sky and then
draw itself up again, very much after
the manner of those cyclonic clouds in
Iowa. The gentleman was very much
interested In this meteorological per
turbation, which he attributed at first 10
atmospheric Influences, when II occurred
70 him that the peculiar cloud or water
spout might DO nearer than the distant
horizon. be took off his hat and founc
that his surmiae was correct. Fastened
10 the rim Of she hat by its hind claws
va beautiful centipeds, about nine
inches long. The peculiar msteoroloei-
Gal phenomena were produced by the
insect drawing itself up and letting it.
eolf down IN Its efforts TO find a n ose or
some other feature to hang on 10 in order
10 facilitate its descent. Az the gentle
man had . comparatively short nose, the
insect was fooled. 1t died shortly after.
ward by the gentleman accidentally
stepping on it about a dozen consecutive
times with the heel of his boot.
Al Ne have already stated. centipedes
are comparatively rarc In the well settled
portion Of Texas, being usually found in
bottle OF alcohol on the showcase OF
some druggist who has a taste for the
beautiful. In this particular cen,ipsdes
0nes from some men: they are much
moro peaceful and harmless when in
liquor than otherwise. With centipedes,
- with Indians, the only good ones are
thoes that are dsad.-Teras Stfiings.