The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1890-09-02
|ASt Of V|N0US fERAC|TY
IA American Travellers Queer Adj
venture OIL the Island Of
Java
|. Copy Of the London Times With
the Power of Self-Locomo-
ton.
|, This Day the Phenomenon IL . Thing
of Mystery to the
| Witness.

|. in the small town of Djocia, the capital
/ a native sultan in the heart of Java.
|iocia has little to interest the traveller be-
|snd immense wooden cage, filled with
ferent varieties of leopards, the property
L the sultan, says correspondent of the
North American. The town
half days journey from the wonderful
|:,mple of Borobodo, and it was en- route
liz that relic of forgotten ages, hewn from
Iva as hard as steel, with its 500 statues of
|addha, it's miles of bas.reliefs, and its
|Fenue of stone lions, that was compelled
| pass the night at Djocja. Unfortunately
lace forbids me to give in detail the mar
BIS of Borobodo since the subject of my
resent story is in no way connected with it.
Tat Diocia was small hotel one story in
blight, as are most buildings in the east. A
lad passing under a gate turned in from
|, e highway. On one side of this road was
He main building of the hotel or inn, con-
sting of the sitting-room and dining
;ch as they were, and the sleeping quarters
! the proprietor and his family; immedi-
|:ely opposite were bedrooms for the
|tests, when by good fortune there were
by. These rooms were six or eight in num-
sr, built of stone, with tile floors. They
lore about fourteen feet square and were
n exactly alike, each having door to the
ght of the room as you entered and one
tndow diagonally opposite.
INV window, If remember correctly, con-
Fined no glass, and at all events was open
hiring the period of my stay. 1t was pro-
cted by iron bars about four inches apart,
nd was about three feet from the ground.
J looked out upon an uncultiyated field,
|sgetation and dotted here and there with
(tcoaput and palm, made up the larger por-
On of the village of Djocja. None of the
IONS connected in any way, and the doors
|bened on q small pavement of stone COW
He'd by a roof, under which the traveller.
ad in pajamas. could recline on long, easy
tairs during the heat of the day, which,
bwever, in Java, IS never as oppressive as
many parts of India.
I had arrived at Djocja in the afternoon,
i'd dined. and, after talk with my
blend, who occupied the adjoining room,
'haG retired to my bedroom, put on my
siamas. and, cheroot in mouth, was en-
lying LA Vie de Boheme," a most charm
|sg book, by the way, and one which all
,ould read as speedily as possible. Al
aough this was by no means the first time
Lat I had gone over Murger's fascinating
Inscription of student life in the Latin
.larter in the palmy days of the grisettee,
|Dw gone forever, yet time passed SO rapid
/ that it was after midnight when my at
'ntion was attracted by low sound in the
| prner of the room, resembling the shaking
rafting of stiff paper.
i looked up and saw that my trunk, which
+ .ood about foot from the wall below the
sndow already referred to, no longer had
BON it copy of the London Times, which
,aad thrown there during the. afternoon.
\ squirrel or rat is playing with the
tper," I said to myself, and was speedily
lick in the Latin quarter. But
..e noise became louder and louder,
I'D finally, after silence of moment OF
f 10, it burst out afresh with such force
,at man shaking the stiffest newspaper
18th all his might could scarcely have
aualled it. At this moment, the newspa-
! pr, doubled and leaning against the wall
an angle of sixty degrees, made it's ap-
sarance from behind the trunk, and, with
! lie loud noise still continuing, very slowly
!ided along the side of the room.
In the east one is ever on the alert fol-
.oisonous reptiles, and, although I could
lot explain the noise, inasmuch as the
aper did not seem to vibrate. yet I was
lilly convinced that behind the copy of the
ZINES was serpent or lizard of some sort.
4, have explained before, the window was
|.agonally opposite to the door by which i
as seated.
1.-THE paper had now elided to point
I ong the Opposite wall directly in front OF
!e and about twelve feet distant. I threw
5wn my book Il forget what became OF
ae cheroot). and Selling heavy boot, OF
ather two, for thought would give the
rptile the benefit of a second barrel, SO to
peak, jumped upon chair, and taking
tiberate aim, hurled the missile at the
'swspaper.
It struck fair in the center. The sheet
ELAPSED, and behind it was absolutely
pthing. l felt completely dazed. A search
the room was entirely fruitless. The
.ght was perfectly still. oppressively so, in
bet, and no draught could have reached the
tper, even supposing for a moment that a
Arrent of air could have been the cause of
lie noise and the even, regular, gliding mo.
son. have stated the matter exactly as it
scurred, and at this day am as far Us ever
::om solution of the cause of the occur
nee.