The Caldwell tribune. [volume] (Caldwell, Idaho Territory [Idaho]) 1883-1928, 1889-04-06
THE MAY BUG.

IL Wds a UrNutuui IusEs Tic puttcc
lips were like the petals of d young
rose! But the laughter was the wild,
terrible laughter of the mad.
81 have it's she screamed, exul.
tantiy.
"What?" asked the Keeper.
The keeper was made ofgross mate
rial. He had a loose skin, full OF
large, dirty pores like an old sponge
"a thick brutal nose, pierced by mar
row nostrils and wide mouth-ed-
Tipped and cruel. His eyes were
small, hard, brilliant and singularly
Opaque. They looked like little bits
of blue china. The girls eyes were
blue also, but with the tender blue of
turquoise, yet full of clear, liquid,
changing lights like the sapphire.
She was pale, delicate, exquisite! A
beautiful casket bereft of its precious
tleasure-the mind.
What" asked the keeper.
"The May Bug''
The keeper grinned and winked his
blue china eyes. He had heard be-
fore of this May Bug-a chimerical
insect which troubled him little. He
was not n bad maintaining him al
together-a trifle overload of turn
ing the cold shower on the poor
wrctches intrusted to his tender
care-not averse to using certain
stout leather strap in the interest
and welfare of the more refractory
and he often exercised n little jude
ious economy at their expense in
setting before his family the bread
intended for the patients. Not q
nerve lodged amidst the bone and
Drawn of this gigantic body. The
most frantic struggles of the ma
MACS filed him with amusement.
The most furious rawlings brought n
smile to his great lips. oh, he was
very good natured!
He approached the window.
"where is ito' he asked, curiously
and idly.
at is here! here.n' cried the girl,
full ofexcitement. And she pointed
to a hole in the wall of her cell.
A hole i'm the wall!
The excellent keeper was annoyed.
He frowned blackly. He entered the
cell ard struck the woman on the
face.
''See that thou makest no more
holes in the wall?' he said roughly.
She tremblcd violently. Her eyes
darted strange lights, but she said
nothing. She did not even cry out,
although the blow was Il cruel one.
She only watched. with jealous, an
CRY eyes, as the keeper thrust three
fingers into the hole. There was no
insect there. He stood Eliminating a
moment, after the manner of beasts.
Presently he began slowly to scratch
his head. The woman made sud-
den movement toward him.
"Give it to mc!'' she cried impera-
lively. at is mine! ] will have it!
You shall not put itin your head!
Give it to Inc! give it to me! p
"Husll, fool" he said, and he raised
his hand threateningly. She covered
away from him and, crouching in the
corner of the cell, began to cry bit
ter]y, wiping her eyes now and then
on O strand of the long yellow. hair
that lay on her shoulders. As the
keeper opened the door to 60 out a
ray of sunlight fell Oil his rough hair
which curled thickly over his temples.
The girl bounded suddenly after him
like a tiger
ut is therr!'' she shrieked, shrilIy.
"Ah! the pretty thing! Do not crush
it!'' for the man raised his hand in
voluntarily to the spot she indicated
with her outstretched fingers, then,
recollecting himself, he turned on her
fiercely, and advancing deliberately;
as she retreated from him, until he
had driven her again to her corner,
he stood a moment quelling her with
the colk power OF his eyes. ltwas an
instant's silent struggle! The force
of reason prevailed. She sank shuo'
dering-conquered-in the angle OF
the smooth stone wall.
"Good!" he said gruffiy. "And NO
more of holesin the wall. Dost thou
hear? | shall look tomorrow and
see if the hole grows larger in the
night. To-morrow-aye! and again
the next day and the next!' He
thust his ugly face down to hers
She shivered and shrank nearer the
wall. Good he said again. His
tone was fatherly. 1t was pleasant
to him to see his power. All! they
feared him-these poor, helpless
hopeless, Observation-Disclosures.
He left the cell, turning his face to
ward her as he closed the door. A
last, trembling ray from the setting
sun died on the matted hair above
his left temple. A tremor shook the
delicate body huddled in the corner
More than two hours passed, and
still the girl crouched there. Her lit
tie white fingers worked nervously
Her eyes were never still. Her brow
was drawn in deep, painful lines, as
though the poor disordered brain be
meath made some great physical eft
fort to form thought. And so the
darkness FELL
With morning came the keeper.
us there n hole in the waltz" I'll,
laughed malicious'y. "Then we eel
have no bread to-day" and the ex
cellent man passed on well satisfied
Had Ne not inflicted punishment
when punishment was due? And
moreover, his family lived on til,
bread which cost him nothing.
June passed and July-long Sum
mer days when the sun lay in The
courtyard and there was always {
warm corner in cell No. 80, where th,
beautiful insane girl was kept. Thu
keeper liked to go there and loung'
in the afternoons. She was afraid o
him, and he found her terror divert
ing. 1t pleased him to see herstand
ing with downcast eyes sending
out those strange CLEANS from undeI
the deep-fringed lids-with heavins
breast from " hich the breath laboret
heavily-with trembling finger
locked so tightly together that tn
little nails grew white with the 'crue
nressIre 1t was n tribute to hi