The Columbus journal., 1885-06-17
HUMAN MOSQUITO
A Creature Which Exists But to
Torment.

How He Wounds and TOrtures his HAP
less Vietims-The Different Varieties
son for his Existence.
He Is ubiquitous; and. taking him
morally, he has solved the problem OF
perpetual motion; for he is quiet,
never tranquil, and as for letting well
or his fellow-creatures alone. he does
that as little as he pays the national
debt. Like his chronological proto-
type. the human mosquito has various
methods of attack. Now he comes on
you silly. without note of warning pre-
facing attack. and the first proof Of his
presence sting: now the shrill dis
c6rdance of his challenge rOuses you to
attent ion and the vain attempt at de-
Tense and retaliation. For you a not
defend yourself nor yet retaliate. The
human mosquito is too subtle in his At
tack to be evaded. too quick in his re-
treat to be caught; and your hands only
fight the air, when they do not fall. like
b0omerangs. with a sounding blow on
your own pate.
The life's business of the human
mosquito is to wound. and his mildest
pleasure is to annoy. Woe to you, poor
hapless wight, if. in a weak moment.
you have allowed the tormcntOr to find
out your sore places OIL discover the
secret of the weak joint in your arm0r.
Hencefcrth You MAY bid adieu to peace
tor SO long a. this creature - within
hail. He never lets drop 4 subject which
he knows is painful; and when he has
once been able to make YOU vince. he
never wearies of repeating the expert
meat. 1t is such fun TO him to see your
Lip 9uivey. your cheek blanch, your eyes
fash with Unsurpassed fury, if you are
. man-with voicaless scOrn or darken-
ing tears. if you are a wOman-such
fun! He would not forego that pleasure
for worlds, life. indeed, having no
greater to beStow. S~ivisection? Are
there not men who would viyisect for
the mere love of torturing, and the
brutal curiosity Of seeing the victims
behavior under PAIN So in like man.
e does the human mosquito torment
aNu tOTtuTc you LOT Tie mere love Oh
the sport and to make YOU dance to
his piping. shod in the red-hot shoes of
the German fairy tale, is rs exquisite
. delight to him as We're the
cries of the racked hereto to Torque-
NADIA. as are the huttering agonies
Of the wounded bird to the snake. Has
your favorite son proved a failure, with
passages in his history YOU would
rather not remember. still less have
remembered by others? The human
mosquito never meets YOU without ask
ing carefully after young Graceless-
where is he-what is he dOiAg-and has
he paid his debts yet? and is that sem
tence Of Outlawry rescinded? and what
. grief il must be to you that one who
promised SO well when he was a lad
should have kicked over the traces to
such an extent as he has done! Did
your daughter run off with the penniless
Lieutenant. and are you VIGOROUSLY un-
r~ecOnciled to the marriage-hOpeless
as is your displeasure? The human
mosquito takes every opportunity of
speaking in your presence of the regi-
ment to which your unwelcome son-in-
law belongs: and though he can not tell
you personally. does tell Your neighbor
In your hearing. where it is. what
1t is doing, and how this officer
and that have distinguished themselves
and been rewarded, your undesirable
connection being ~conspicuously absent
from the roll-caIl of merit. If your old
aunt has died and left Won nothing,
while she favored your cousin and made
him hAr hair 20 800, "
appointment. the human mosquito de-
yelops he most extraordinary interest
in that cousins doingS. and either asks
you OF his wcll-being under his new
honors. or gives YOU anecdotes of the
splendor Of his surroundings and the
astounding luxury of his hOme-anec-
dOteS which set your teeth on edge.
hampered rs you are in all your gOingS
and comings. Or, if il he the other
way. and you have been the favored
and the righ,ful heir has been dispos-
sessed. then does the tormentor regale
you with narrowing accounts of the dis
graced ones trials and penury. and the
bitterness of his disappointment, which
clings TO him like a Nessus shirt. poison
ING the very current of his blood.
Not TO be successfully fought. not
10 be captured, not to be barred out.
this tormentor of mems lives is rs ter
ribie as are those germs which float in
the air and bring woe illimitable to all
who breathe them. Your only chance
with him is ~in-penetrable reserve: wrap
PiSg yourself up in silence which moth,
ing car cause to break into confidence
or self-betrSyal; showing a demeanor As
stOlid as q triple wall of brass: suffo-
eating your feelings. your very thoughts
as though they We're crimes which would
land YOU in thac county Jail if repeated
aloud. This Is yoar only ~chance-the
sole kind of moSquito-net which will pro-
tect You. No appeal to reason will be
successful: still less will have a chance
of an appca! 10 feeling. humanity. graf
oitGde. Of gratitude, indeed, he has no
more knowledge than he has of the orr
gin of life or the cause Of crystallization:
for ingratitude is his characteristic. As
with some kinds-insolence is the
method. Like the brute which turns
and rerds the hand that has fed him,
this Kind of creature, this human mos
quito, turns against. YOU. when YOU
have done all for him that he de-
sired and when be has no more
hope of your help. Then You learn the
true ir:alits of hs nature. and find out
for Yourself of what base material s is
made. Ii is only after repeated trials,
however, that he is convinced of your
finality in the way of help: for he is of
the same sen as the daughter of the
horseieech. and cries ever Give! give!'
When you ::ate once allowed a man or
womsn Of bjs kind 20 prove that YOU
are p1sctVzsile, that YOU are 5 o much
nntxtraan; ior bold suckers. you are
4eDs t,r ard nothing short of a lawyer
VA - &c. rom attacks which, made
q - insidiously-msy be with