Barton County democrat. [volume] (Great Bend, Kan.) 1885-1915, 1889-06-06

time. finally settled on tho top of the
tree, when the branches began to
awaken. as it were. and to curl up
ward They twisted and twisted like
snakes about the bird, which began to
scream. and drew it down in their
fearful embrace until lost sight OF 1t.
Horror-stricken. seized the nearest
rock in an attempt to climb the knob l
had SO often tried in vain to do this that
Twas not surprised when fell back. but
the rock was loosened and fell also. Ii
narrowly missed me, but 1 sprung up
unhurt, and saw that the fallen rock
had left a considerable cavity. put
my face to it and looked in. Some
thing like a cavern, the floor of which
had an upward tendency, met my
sight, and 1 felt current of fresh air
blowing on. me, with a dry, earthly
smell. Evidently there was another
opening somewhere undoubtedly at
the summit. Using my trowel, which
I always carried on my botanizing ex-
petitions, I enlarged the hole. and
then pushed my way up through the
passage When had nearly reached
the top looked out cautiously to see
If l should emerge within reach of
that diabOlical tree. But l found it
nowhere near the aperture, so sprung
out. I was just in time to see the flat
tened carcass of the bird fall to the
ground. which was covered with bones
and feathers. I approached as close
ly as I dared and examined the
tree. 1t was low in size. not
more than twenty feet high, but
covering great area Its trunk was
of prodigious thickness. knotted and
scaly. From the top of this trunk, a
few feet from the ground, its Shiny
ward. nearly touching the ground with
their tapering tips. Its appearance
was that of a gigantic tarantula await
ing its prey. On my venturing to
lightly touch one of the limbs. it closed
upon my hand with such force that
when tore it loose the skin came
with it. descended then, and clos
ing the passage returned home.
went back next day carrying half
dozen chickens with which to feed the
tree. The moment [ tossed it the
fowls, violent agitation shook its
branches, which swayed to and fro
with a sinuous, snaky motion. After
devouring the fowls, these branches,
fully gorged, dropped to their former
position, and the tree, giving no signs
of animation, T dared to approach it
and take the limbs in my hand.
They were covered with suckers, re-
sembling the tentaclesof an octopus.
The blood of the fowls had been alb
sorbed by these suckers, leaving GRIM
son stains on the dark surface. There
was no foliage. of course, of any kind.
Without speaking of my discovery to
any one about, I wrote an account of it
to the world-famous botanist, Prof
Wordenhaupt of the University of
Heidelberg. His reply states that my
tree is the arbor diaboli, only two
specimens of which have ever been
known-one on the peak of the Hima-
layas and the other on the island of
Sumatra. Mine is the third. Prof.
Wordenhaupt says that the arbor
diaboli and the plant known as the
Venus f1v-trap are the only known
specimens. growing on the land, of
those forms of life which partake of
the nature of both animal and vege-
table kingdoms, although there are in
stances too numerous to mention found
of this class in the sea. The Portuguese
man-of-war may be mentioned, how
ever, as one, and the sponge as the
best known specimen of this class
chihuahua Mex Cor Globe-DemO-
crat.