Fergus County argus. [volume] (Lewistown, Mont.) 1886-1946, 1889-02-28
CATCHING A VAMPIRE.
A Midnight Wrestle With an Unidentified
Creature in Woodruff

indianapolis News: II had YAM
pire hunt last night" remarked \. +.
Potts, as he took place in the in
coming Woodruff street car the other
morning.
"AbOut O'Clock my wife woke me
up with he familiar demand in wins
per to know what that noise was in
the room.
Rats answered, still hall asleep.
That's what | think, she replied. ac-
cepting my interpret alton literally, so
get up instantly, before they jump at
the baby BY this time had myself
heard a strange, half running and hop
ping noise upon the floor, and jumped
mp to see u strange creature about the
size OF a rat, but with Hat, bushy
tail, scud away under the bureau.
"My suggestion for nH wife to take
the baby and go into the adjoining
room and leave me to fight the crea-
ture alone, met her hearty approval,
and was lett alone antly. \ happy
thought occurred to me to bringupmy
Gordon setter pup to join in the chase.
This did, and, arming myself with II
broom, began to stir up the intruding
animal. The moment the pup got
sight OF that strange creature in the
house, hopping past him, he seemed to
he paralyzed and skunk under the bed,
and nothing that ! could do could per-
suade the dog to come out, and so !
was left alone in the fight, not in any
wise reassured by the conduct OF the
dog, on whose instinct ! had counted
for assistance. | went ut it again,
pOking it out OF corners, slashing at it
as it flew past, getting more mystitied
and excited at every view of ii in the
dim light of the room. Finally it ran
to the door and like flash up the
panel to five or six feet, dropping off
with what seemed to my excited mag
inatiOn Outspread leathery wings.
'"T'hen ] sat down to reflect and re-
call what little knew of natural his
tory. 1t could not he "a rat, for it
hoped and had a long, hairy tail, and
who ever heard OF n rat running up a
door panel before your very eyes? Ii
couldn't be bat, because bat does
not run as this thing did. Then ] re-
membered "a lOng-fOrgOtten German
legend OF n bat-like vampire which
steals into bed rooms to suck the
blood oil little children. The mystery
OF it, the strange conduct OF the dog,
and this lons-forgOtten fairy story
gave the situation all the important
elements Of "a regular nightmare. My
wife's sensible suggestion from the adj
joining room to shut the animal up
until morning was very alluring just |
then, and should have acted on it ii |
it had not occurred to me as duty |
to destroy what might prove some |
new and dangerous animal. So merry |
ing myself with the reflection that the |
safety OF my offspring was involved,
arose to renew the conflict, this time
armed with u lOng-handled brush Of
some weight. Thereat the animal,
whatever IT was, in an exposed corner, |
curled up as though ready tn springat
me- NV hair rose "a little rs ] hurled |
my only weapon at thecrOuching thing |
in the corner, which by this time seemed |
to me to be possessed OF leathery |
wings, fangs, hideous claws and the
eyes OF demon, and the brush, hurled
javelin-like, hit him and laid him out |
straight on the floor.
brought near the light the demon
OF my chase proved to be poor, in
nocent little gray flying squirrel, which
had dropped from an overhanging
bOugh to the roof and found its way |
into the room. My wife was consider
ate enough to go to sleep without a
single observation, and only want to
mention that ! have a thoroughbred
Gordon setterpup to trade for a canary
bird, or "a collar button, or anything
useful"