Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1886-12-11
THE REPTILE GERANIUM.

A Shiny Horror oe the Vegetable World
Atlanta Constitution.
"a snake gersniumT
eyes, that is what I call it," said thu
doctor.
I stopped down to examine the flower
Hideous, repulsive, and yet strangely
attractive, the snake geranium seemed to
hold me under spell.
To describe this flower one would have
to paint life and motion. Mere color il
not enough. As looked the evil thing
glared at me with sinister intelligence.
There was nothing remarkable about
the stalk and the leaves Of the plant.
The blossom was what riveted my gaze.
Black, ainuous and Shiny, it looked more
like snake than anything else. As
I changed mypoint Of view the thing
changed it's aspect. It's scales were q
purplish black, then dirty brown. Two
little CLASSY beads in the monsters bead
glittered with p1ismatic hues, and look
ed straight into my eyes. Was I mis-
takenf I could have sworn that this
awesome bloom turned and twisted with
the uncanny freakishness OF q reptile.
"You know something Of botany"
said the doctor, show do you classify
itr'
tbs not to be classified" I answered.
1T is monstrosity. There is nothing
like it. Isit poisonous?"
II think So was the reply, ''the old
African who found it called it 'pizen
plant but renamed it."
I had seen nearly everything worth
seeiLg in the floral world, but this sin
gular plant blooming unnoticed in an
obscure corner of a country doctors
garden amazed me beyond expression.
From the first the sickening odor of
the flower had been terribly oppressive.
In fact, it had prevented close. exam
ination. Suddenly my brain seemed
benumbed, a cold chill seized me, and,
with face of deathly pallor, I reeled
and would have fallen to the ground but
for the DOCTORS strong arm.
Twas half sick, or rather in q dazed,
half stupefe1 state, for days after my
return to town. One evening negro
called at my house with q note from my
friend, the doctor, and covered basket.
The messenger was gone before I could
read the note. I glanced at the paper
and then opened the basket. did not
know whether to laugh or be angry.
Comfortably fixed in a big jar, the snake
geranium gave firty twist and snap
ped it's wicked eyes in my face.
To have this floral horror in my house
was out Of the question, and yet was
proud Of the monster. made aservant
carry it to sunny nook in the back
yard. She returned with chattering
teeth.
DE lawd hab mussy!' she exclaimed,
''dat ting's alive. Hitn bite, sho's yer
bawn!"
I did not contradict her. In fact, I
agreed with her.
Sometimes carried my friends to see
my pet. invariably had the satisfac-
lion of, hearing them swear, and gener-
ally had to send them home in carri-
age. One Whit of the snake eeranium
was enough to make total wreck of the
strongest man.
A little girl living next door took .
wonderful fancy to the flower. FIRE.
4uently she came over when I was alb
sent and spent an hour at time fond
ling the plant and looking at it. OF all
the persons who saw it she was the only
one not effected by it's peculiar odor.
Sometimes I fell into deep study over
The mutual attachment existing between
my monster and the girl. I call it mu-
tual because it was impossible to view
my snake geranium without giving
It credit for life end intelligence. The
girl was a queer little creature, with
hair and velvety eyes. She
had certain impish beauty that made
me shudder. Between the girl and the
yeranium came near being deviled to
death.
As the weeks passed on the girl con-
tinued her visits. She grew thinner and
oalsr and her eyes grew larger and
olacker. More than once I overheard
the servants whispering that the snake
yeranium was killing the child. This
alarmed me and one day I told my
young neighbor that the plant was pois.
,nous and that she must not go near it.
She rather shrank from me, and with q
'orrowful look sped homeward without
aging a word.
came home Unexpectedly one day
md found the girl paying surreptiti-
,us visit to the flower. I went to her
'ull of wrath, but was disarmed by what
saw. The poor thing bad tainted, and
and squirting over the side
# the jar, within o few inches Of the
'hild's face, wac that ;liaboical ger
MUM!
I took my visitor home and told her
mother all about it. We spoke with
ONE severity to the little offender, but
We thoughtit was for her good. I new
+ once thought Of destroying my mon
ter. O1sAM
mo words can express the horror I felt
he next morning when I heard that my |
.irl neighbor was dead. She had been
ound ifeless and cold in bed at an esrly
our. Her appearance, WIS told, was
hat of a person who had been poisoned.