The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1885-09-04
CENTIrEDEs AND TAEAN rULAs.

How tho Pretty LltIo Insects Amuse Trav-
slers in Texas.
Ttbds Lettsr "a Philadelphia Time.
This is an eating station on the Southern
Pacific railroad, and stands well out on the
great Prison Plain, about midway be-
tween FL Paso and Del Rio. Old Roy
Beau, who formerly dispensed frontier
justice OF decidedly original and peculiar
kind while acting as magistrate at Murder
vile, during the building Of the railroad,
OWES the eating privilege at SandeIson
and the liquid refreshing bureau connect
ed Herewith. This business is rather
monotonous, and TO man OF old Roy's
temperament not altogether pleasant. Lat.
terly he has found time hanging heavily
on his hands, aud to assist him in Willing
away the tagging hours that creep by so
slowly ont on this dreary plain, he has
taken up the study Of natural history.
His collection, as yet, is small, but it is
decidedly unique one, and he ID adding
specimens every day. 1t is hope and am
bition 10 be the proud possessor OF living
specimen OF every manneroi creepipgand
crawling thiog, and all those that hop,
skip, jump, run, or fly in tue Lone Star
State.
In the large glass case In the rear OF his
saloon he has caged more concentrated
venom that can be found anywhere out
side OF a poisson factory. First on the
list is family OF centipedes, consisting OF
giant nearly ten inches in length, the
old fellows son and daughter, and a num-
erous progeny OF babies. The Ceniipede
ia not a pretty insect. lie runs too much
10 legs Ones I thought them OF no use,
but after seeing lot of little Chiricahua
indian papooses pulling centipedes from
their holes and greedily devouring them
legs, poison and all, l no longer doubted
the wisdom and beneilcence OF their erea-
ton. In the course Of my checkered car
eer have had several adventures with
cenupedes and always came out second
best. A centipede can raise blister on a
mans body quicker than red hot
iron il you don't Immediately apply al
remedial poultiCe OF pounded prickly pear
and dose Yourself inwGrdly with post whis-
ky-which latter is warranted to kill any
thing but an army mule7the resultant eff
iecss may BIZ serious. Centipedes usually
attack their victim ct night when he is
asleep and can't defend himself. They
are armed with about 200 little lances con-
yeniently lashei TO the toe oheach loot
of which they have several-and at the
base Of each lance is tiny sack OF venom.
II a centipede cTawls across your body,
which he'll most likely do il you Lie down
any where within q hall mile OF him
youth have no difficulty in following his
trail, and You'll remember his visit for
weeks. No man ever died from the bite
OF q centipede, but | have known one TO
make man wish he wero dead.
Iu the cage adjoining that occupied by
the centipedeS was den OF tarSntulas,
whose scientiGG name is Lycosa. The den
contained two Lycosas, but whether they
we're brother and sister, mother and
daughter, father and son, or husband and
wife, am unable to declare. They were
about the SIZE OF common saucer, and
we're as hairy IS Esau. Their mouths
were blood. red, and they each had Jour
sharp teeth, which from time to time they
snapped viciousiy. l was bitten bya
tarautula once, and i ielt thankful that
these t~o were raged. suggested to
old Roy that it would be good idea to
quill out their teeth, and he kindly
gave me permission TO operate on them
dentaily. / declined. The tarantnla is
au exaggerated spider, with teeth and hair.
They are always ready for fight, and
will tackle anything, not excluding buzz
saw. In days gone by | have often
amused myself by teasing one with a red
not coal. AT first they would fight shy,
but after they once got mad they would
attack that coal aud never surrender until
they were burned to crisp. ! never
heard OF anything eating a tarantula. II
one bites you, use same remedies as pre-
scribed for centipede sting, only more SO.