Springfield globe-republic. (Springfield, Ohio) 1884-1887, 1886-06-20
MAKING MEXICAN Golo-su6S.
Unprecedented Demand for the Insects
nn,y tb, Juur-Rug l. Utilized


A short time ago the small boys OF Ev.
anston were thrown into state Of great
excitement 10y the appearance of strange
old man in the town, The mysterious in
dividual. clad in linen duster. carrying a
gingham umbrella and wearing green
goggles. was not long in gathering the en-
tire male population about him by reason
of the astonishing offer which he made
He agreed To pay cents each for large
sized ami well formed June bugs II a
tireCraCkcr as large as -four barrel had
exploded in the school room it would not
have created near as much excitement rs
the offer Of the strange old man. Not
more than half of the youngsters went
/ back after the noon recess, and grand
June bug round up was instituted After
school hours the Youngsters who hadn
played "hOOkey" Joined the other hunters,
and the result was terrible shakingup OF
June bugs.
The mysterious stranger kept his word,
and paid cents apiece for all the able
bodied June bugs which had not been
manned or wounded in the excitement OF
the chase. At nightfall he went back to
the city carrying cigar box full Of the
finest June bugs in the land, while all the
little boys in Evanston reveled in taffy.
The stranger with penchant for June
bugs was found to occupy u little room on
State street, which is strewn with brio a
brac and articles sold by street -peddlers.
In glass case were the June bugs, and on
little oll-st0ve pot of fine shellac was
kept in "A liquid state. On some cotton
batting on table were several magnid-
cent golden beetles with golden wings and
delicateIy shaped claws and nippers.
Where did you get these" queried the
visitor. They are Mexican gold-bugs,
amt they, and are worth considerable
money!
|. Mexican gold bugs' Why, there can't
any bug that ever buzzed match those
fellows sold three OF those to-day for
$40, and the man that got them wants me
to make a contract TO furnish no one but
him with them. I've got a bonanza here.
"How's thatf"
why, haven't You heard about the gold
bug that Miss Folsom wore back from
Paris. They are all the rage. Well, |
put something on the market which dis
counts the genuine article.
Under a pledge of secrecy I'll let you
into the scheme, but II dOSen't matter
much, guess you have got in already"
With that the man picked up June
bug, fastened it in steel bodkin, and
then suddenly plunged it into the shellac.
Reaching into the drawer, he drew forth a
pad of lambs wool. dashed It over the
gummy June-buC and in an instant there
was startling transformation. Writhing
on the end OF the steel bodkin was a golden
beetle. He had washed a June-Gug in
gold dust
Il make two kinds" continued the In
ventor, gazing at his handiwOrk admir-
ingly, the animate and inanimate.
When make the animated article I
merely dip the wings and back in the
shellHc, which, by the way, is prepared
especially for this Purpose. Ii has to be
very fine and just So thin. The inanimate
specimens are made by plunging the
whole body into the shellAc 1t kills them
instantly and covers every speck of their
bodies Then | put on two coats of gold
dust and they are practically embalmed.
They will last life-tim with proper
care. and when | put them in front Of
jewellers they think they have struck
magnificent piece of jewelry work until
they handle them. The weight gives
them away then. I'm thinking of bury
ing a buCkshOt in every June-bug and
then they'll weight up 10 the standard |
don't suppose the live bug craze will last
much after the Folsom boom dies out, but
the dead bug will become a fixture. I'm
going to get patent on the process. There
are good American dollars in it"
Gold bugs are in great demand just now
and the mysterious man on State street is
very busy. The American June-bu is