The times and democrat. [volume] (Orangeburg, S.C.) 1881-current, 1886-07-08
MAKING MEXICAN GOLD-BUGS.
Unprecedented Demand for the 1nsects-'
How the June-Bug Is Utilized.

Unprecedented Demand for the Insects
How the June-Bug Is Utilized.
A short time ago. the small boys of EV-
anston were thrown into u state of great
excitement by the appearance of strange
old man in the town. The mysterious IN
dividual, clad in q linen duster, carrying q
giugham umbrella, and wearing green
goggles, was not long III gathering the en-
tire male population about him by reason
of the astonishing offer which he made.
He agreed to pay 5 cents each for large
sized and well-formcd June-bugs. II a
firecracker as large as q four-b barrel had
exploded in the school-room it would not
have created near as much excitement as
the offer of the strange old man. Not
more than half Of the youngsters went
back after the noon recess, and grand
June-bug roundup was instituted. After
school-hours the youngsters who hadn't
played ahookey;" joined the other hunters,
and the result was terrible shaking-up OF
June-bugs.
The mysterious stranger kept his word,
and paid cents apiece for all the able
bodied June-bugs which had not been
VI hOoAOCu 1AA o81O S-hSASSAASAs~-
the chase At nightfal he went back to
the city carryinga cigar-box full of the
finest June bugsin the land, while all the
little boys in Evanston reveled in taffy. :
The stranger with penchant for June
bugs was found to occupy little room on
State street, which is strewn with br1c-ar
bra, and articles sold by street-peddlers.
In 6. glass case were the June-bugs, and on
little oil-stove pot of fine shellac was
kept in liquid state. On some cotton
batting on table were several magnlfl-
cent golden beetles with golden wings and
deicately shaped claws and nippers.
"Where did you get these?" queried the
visitor "They are Mexican gold-bugs,
amt they, and are worth considerable
money?
aMexican gold-bugs? Why, there can't
any bug that ever buzzcd match those
fellows I sold three of those to-day for
SIG, and the man that got them wants me
to make contract to furnish no one but
him with them. I've got bonanza here"
"How's that?'
"Why, haven't you heard about the gold
bug that Miss Folsom wore back from
Paris. They are all the rage. Well, l
Ol1 oAAS 3iittA1>Se ''N'S~
counts tho genuine article.
"Under pledge of secrecy I'll let you
into the scheme, but it 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
pad of lambs wool, dashed it over the
gummy June-bug, and in an instant there
was startling transformation. Writhlng
on the end of the steel bodkin was golden
beetle. He had washed q June-bug in
gold dust.
II make two kinds" continued the in
ventor, gazing at his handiwork admir-
ingly, "the animate and inanimate.
When I make the animated article l
merely dip the wings and back in the
shellac, which, by the way, is prepared
especially for this purpose. 1t 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 lifetime with proper
care, and when I put them in front OF
jewellers they think they have struck 9
magnificent piece of jewelry work until
they handle them. The weight gives
them away then. Pm thinking of bury
ing a buckshot in every June-bug and
then they'll weight up to the standard. l.
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 ls
very busy The American June-bug Is
certainly superior to the insect imported
from Mexico. If the little boys Of
Evanston don't corner the market on
June-bugs, Mexican gold-bugs will be
cheap in few days.-Chicago News.