The Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1868-1895, 1886-06-02

jar of preserved centipedes which the Jun.
Tor assistant bad been caught in the act of
selling for leeches-"good morning sir; some
perfume this morning. 1t will last through
two washings"
No" said the man, elm that case Think
won't need none for q week2ot twds-S
what's that you've got in the bottle there,
spakes?n
NO." said the druggist. shortly-''centi-
pedes, scolopendra gigantea."
All nice lookin' customers. They re-
mind me of a-guess I'll tell you the story
its little in your line"
The druggist pulled out the SIENNA drawer
and settled himself YEARLY on it to listen.
ut was down in the Middle States" said
the solemn man, land the weather was
schorchIn' hot. There was two of us in the
field workin' at the haydn Il was fsrmin' at
that time), and we was dressed for our work,
too, let me tell you. We only wore shirts,
oyeralls, slippers and straw hats.
bout noon Jim and me we started along
the path at the side of the field to the clump
of bushes where we'd left our grub
Two cents worth er coarse N fine snuff.
more coarse N fine, N put some scent in it,"
piped a small shrill voice from somewhere
under the front of the counter.
The druggist weighed it ont. Then he
took up the scale pan, and blew the loose
snuff out of it.
After the tall, solemn, man had recovered
from the consequence fit OF sneezing he went
on with the story.
side of the field. We'd taken our pitchforks
cause we intended to work on the other side
OF the bushes after dinner. | don't know
what made me think of it, but Just as we
come to the pile of stones, old broken rails
and rubbish in the fence corner. [ says to
myself-what place for snakes-never saw
a trantler, did you, doctor"
eyes | have one in hottie - said the
druggist.
"Well, then you know they amt very
pretty birds Just as got abreast that there
pile of rubbish somethin' shot up my leg
like lightnin'. believe jumped ten foot
| into the field and let a screech you could
have heard for miles. Then 1 stood stock
| still and the sweat Just poured off me-
Jim come runnln' back and hollOred to
| him to look out for the plle-that ii was full
of snakes, and, says |, Jim, there's one of
| the devils gone up the leg of my overalls. "
Here the Junior assistant suddenly finished
| case near the story teller, who after stop
ping to chew sugared cardamOm seed, went
| on again.
"Well. sir (said he) L was so scared das-
sent move, nor Jim neither. and there we
stood, pale as ghosts; me all over cold shiv-
ers, hair on end, and walkin' to ser what the
thing would do, and Jim waitin' to see what
l would do.
Suddenly Jim looked on the ground and
| gave yell that would have done credit to q
| catamount.
There it isl he screeched; "there it is by
| that stone!"
"Snre enough it was, and a nastier, dead.
lier looking thing l never saw.
You said you had t'rant Ter in bottle,
| didn't yOu?-well, a t'rantler's an angel
| aside of that thing.
| at was nearer me than JIM so he took
his pitchfork, aimed carefully, and, lungin
| like it was his last chance on earth, stuck
| one of the tines into it.
After waiting long enough to be sure
| by hittin' the fork and movin' it little
| once in a while-that he had the thing good
and fast. we grew bold enough to examine il
closer.
sit was a dirty gray color generally, but
| there was round darkish spots all over it.
| and some places seemed to be of moist
brownish appearance, altogether bout the
| size of teacup, only fiatter.
| well, sir, it was the naStiest, deadliest-'
"What was it," asked the druggist breath
lessly. did you put it in alcohol"
"Put it in alcohol" said the man, scorn
fully, mo, sir: we chucked it into the rub
up and fell off just as l got to the fence cor
| ner.
my mind bein on snakes at the time,
| lost my head the moment | felt the thins
| move, ana naturally thought 1t was some
thin runnin' up my leg. hain't worn an
ether since"
"Worn another" gasped the druggist
another snake?"
NO." said the tall, solemn man, another
porous plaster"
The druggist slipped off the drawer and hi
his head on the shelf. When he recovered
the tall man had gone, and was button
| holing the minister across the street.
Then the druggist made the junior assist
ant sweep the floor all over again.