Semi-weekly south Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1883-1889, 1886-06-01
A WONDERFUL INSECT.



4 strietls VeracIous Story Which Proves
That Truth is Stranger than Fiction.
/ have heard some pretty tough yarns
concerning the mosquito, and the Won
derful growth of this festive bird in some
sections Of our noble land. The greater
part OF these remarkable stories comes
to us from New Jersey and Georgia.
Of course you have all heard about the
mosquitoes in New Jersey, where they |
grow so large they carry valisc and
register at the hotels. A great many
scof at this story, but am not one of
the scoilcrs-I have always noticed that
the scoiler is the biggest kind of prevar-
icator himself and only SCOTS from
jealousy, when some person takes the
truth in his hands and tells better
story. So much for the scoifer. / once
met with colossus in the shape of n
mosquito. 1t was some years ago when |
| was poor boy working on a hop farm
In Central New York. 1t was in the
spring time, gentle Annie, and the
fcathered songsters of the wood were
pouring forth their sweetest notes. The
hands were engaged in setting hop
poles, and as was not muscular enough
to do the hop-holc setting act, the "boss"
gave me the easy job Of making the
holes with n two hundred and fifty
pound crow bar. 1t was hard work,
and along towards noon began to
flag, as my stomach began to rcmon-
strate with my other digestive organs
Although mere boy, l had mans
appetite and stomach like soldiers
knapsack. AS the boys were wont to
remark, had IAN appetite that could
cat the screeches off a wheel-barrow.
At noon the hired girl inflated her lungs
and blew the dinner horn. Years after
ward from twenty-five dollar seat in
the theater | have listened to the sweet
strains of an imported sweet strainer
without experiencing half the emotions
that that old dinnerhorn created in my
manly bosom. Aye, the sweetest music
to me was the blast of that old conch-
shell horn which echoed over hill and
dale every day at noon-tme. True,
am soaring from the subject. At the
call for dinner, the men mechanically
dropped their tools and splitting the
worn out tobacco guilds from their
mouths, started for the house. On re-
turning to the field after dinner,
looked around for my crowbar, but it
could not be found. In vain went over
the ground traversed before dinner 1t
was the most mysterious case of dsap-
pearance that ever came under my no.
ticc. Finally the ''old man., who was
rs nervous as an eel, and had had his
eye on the sun as if counting the golden
moments that are being lost, ordered
me to Ego over to neighbor Jones' and
borrow his crowLar. In the center of
the field, and directly in my path was a
tall elm tree. As approached l was
startled by wild unearthly yell, ac-
companied by grating of teeth. The
sound came from the lcafy branches of
the old elm. My heart jumped into
my throat (of course this is a
physical impossibility but it is allow
able in tales of peril.) My blood
turned colder than a cake of ice,
(another p. ~ as visions Of panthers
who could spring five hundred feet upon
their victims, and other perils which
had read of, arose before my startled
vision; | tried to turn aside, but some
strange fascination drew me on. The
yells increased, the grating of the ami
mails teeth continued; soon | stood di-
rcctly underneath the branches of the
tree. At that moment an excruciating
howl of anguish caused me to up lift my
eyes, while mechanically my lips
breathed a-no, it was not a prayer,
gentle reader. With my eyes uplifted
| beheld strange sight. The first
thing behcld was the missing crowbar,
in.the grasp of a strange animal, from
which was proceeding the soul-splitting
cries. | Immediately went over my
natural history to find out what manner
of beast this was. The long sharp
iingcr-nails looked familiar; also the
sword-shaped beak. The wings, which
hung like the sails of a ship in n
calm, were recognizable; at last the
terrible truth rushed like a whirlwind
to my mind. "Eurcka" l cried, as
turned from the spot and rushed to the
house after my shotgun. Loading the
gun with nails, railroad spikes and
other effective projectiles, l hurriedly
returned. The cries and screams
warned me that my game had not vet
flown. Raising the gun to my shoulder
l took a good aim and pulled the trig-
ger. Mingled with the report of the
gun was one long spasmodic yell,
which | afterwards was informed by a
man of unquestionable veracity was
plainly heard in the adjoining county, a
heavy object came tearing to the ground,
bringing with it several large branches
AS the smoke cleared away, l gazed
upon my victim. There lying on the
ground in the last throes of death, with
its life-blood staining the young grass,
was the largest specimen of the & Pluri-
bus Unam II don't know tire Latin
name exactly, but as it is customary
to give some jaw-breaking name
guess 3 PlurtbuS will do) l ever
beheld. | measured that mosquito
(and have the exact measurement in
dellibly stamped upon my memory in
figures that never lie); it measured just
, AT feet from wing to wing l could
not at first account for its possession Of
the crow-bar until we skinned the thing.
. Then the mystery was solved. Deeply
imbedded in the big toe of the left foot,
was large sliver---a portion of fence
rail, believe. With the natural sa.
gacity which this animal ever evinccs il
had endeayored to remove the foreign
, substance with the sharp point of the
crow-bar. l have submitted a copy Of
t the report to the Department of Agri
, culture, together with petition for 8
4 Government appointment, but at this
writing have not yet received a reply
l 1t was my intention on starting out tC
: give the reader several little RENT
' niscences which have come under my
. observation, but space forbids. lmay
A in the near future apply myself to Thu
n task chad Cooper, IN PecbS Sun.