The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1888-05-17
HOW TARANTULAs FIGHT.
San Domingo Sport With These Terrible Insoctr.

Hassa," said Sylvester the other day, ad-
dressing himself to the Colonel, who had Just
given up the pleasant duty of rocking the baby
that blessed baby-tO sleep and was laying
off in the hammock on the yeranda massa"
the boy is from Turks Island and his Eng
lish il rather peculiar" does yo' member
when yo was mp to Bulla de other day Of seein'
two little niggas a wrastlin' round, without
much O. anything on dey legs cept dirt out on
the plains?"
The Colonel tried laziIy to remember the
specific circumstances alluded to by the gentle
boy, but little "niggas" in anti-ComgtOck at
tire were such common OcCurrences-up at
Bulla at any rate-that his mind failed to re-
vert TO il with any degree of certainty.
@ remember" he replied, inadvertently
helping himself from the decanter at his side,
" that had the extreme pleasure Of witnessing
the aTtless gambols of some Of those interesting
but uucleauly children at Bula last week, but
/ have no distinct recollection, Sylvester Of
having seen any such performance as you de-
scribe"
A." Yes, sa, certnly," admitted Sylvester, in
wardIY glOryiug in the command of language
possessed by his military patron, " but | as'ed
70 did you gee de little nigga's rOotin' 'roun'
on the savannah"
Sylvester" said the Colonel severely, Won
should really pay more attention to your edu-
cation. Perhaps if you had had a more liberal
bringing up you would have understood me to
have said that L did not see any little niggas
| 'roQtin' round on de savannah"
Sylvester meditated deeply upon the general
bearings Of this reply for some moments, and
then pleasant smile Of intelligence Lighting up
his face. he said
Den you didn't see um2"
No, Sylvester" said the Colonel YEARLY,
did not see them"
That ended it for time Sylvester was evil
IDENTIFY aud deeply disappointed in the extraor-
binary lack Of curiosity displayed by the Col
onel. 1t is the engaging boys custom to thus
excite attention by few preliminary remarks
aud follow them up with the relation of various
startling occurrences, for the perfect truth Of
which he Is ready 10 vouCh with all the enthu-
siasm of his tropical nature. He attended us
on our trip TO Bulia, and the interior of our
beautiful Republic and the somewhat curious
customs Of its Inhabitants commanded his nm
| limited admiration. Ever since our return he
| has RECALLED Maggie and the other servants with
the description Of the trip, and has exceeded
| himself in the force OF his Imagination His
disappointment was SO great on this occasion
/ that took pity on the boy and asked what th G
/ little "niggas" had done, that ne was driven
/ 20 ask about them
Wall" he said. thanking me with an appre-
| clatiye glance, and squatting himself down by
| the ColonePs side, day was cuyius little mig
gas, 10 de Iawd. / was a sittin' in ole Santos
cabin doah, watchin' fo' de docta to come along,
| so't cud take his boss and feed am, when desc
| yer little nigga boys come along right by de
| cabin, an seen um 60 moseyin' 'roun wild Iona
! strings in dey hams and day 'peered to be
| lookin' for somefn' in de groun' l watch UNI
TO some time, and den / see one OBJ um drap
down on he knee, an go serougin' 'roun' in de
| grass. cOuld'n' imagine what on de yearth
he wanted, but pretty soon he lif up he ham, q
| haulin' de string out oh hole-a erkin' it out
| like
9 Den see somefn' wrigglin' an q wrigglin
an a wrigglin' on de end oh de line an / couldn
imagine what it could be. SO jes' sot dere
watchin' OBJ dc little nigga boys an waitin
70 de dOcta' to come along wild de boss. Directly
| see de odder little nigga boy go down on hs
knee, an | wunner wot he wuz doin', when
suddenly, he jump up, jes like dc oder one, an
| on de end O. he line dey wuz a somefn' les q
| wrigglin' an a wrigglin too.
Den, could'n' stan 1t no longer, an SCI
To de debbil vie de docta's boss, '-scuse me
Kernel "-Sylyesters suddenly interrupted him