Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-09-09
THE CREEPING PLANT.
A STORY.

Poor Hammond managed to get G
month S leave at the same as time myself
That was how We came to join hands
and arrange for the trip to Formosa.
wish / had worked on for a year
longer now, with all my heart
We crossed from Annoy to Taiwan, q
big town on the west coast of Formosa,
and made our preparations for getting
well INTO the wilds. You see, we had
both been in China a matter of ten
years, and could pass muster very well
with our knowledge of two or three
dialects of the deadfnlly profuse lam
guage of the Empire. And so we ex-
pected to get along all right to
shoot a variety of strange quadrupeds
and feathered creatures, and Hammond
to enlarge his already very copious col
lection of plants and grasses.
| never knew a man more enthusias-
tic about his hobby than was Hammond
about his specimens. 1t cost him
many a groan TO leave. them on the
mainland. But for the infinite annoy
snce they would have cost us both, he
would have carried them with him to
Formosa. They filed eight boxes as
big as American travelling trunks
what with their layers of wool and
thick blotting paper, and the camphor-
wood cases IN which the different species
reposed apart from each other. Poor
old chap! he might have pleased him
self in the matter / wish he had, for
his interest in the things might have
kept him from the craze that killed
him.
For week We had very agreeable
time in the bungalow of a certain
Scotch missionary whose name will be
familiar memory to every European
who has stayed awhile in the island
be was-indeed is-a very remarkable
man, and a credit to the Anglo-Saxou
race. If every man had his due, he
ought to be acknowledged as Governor
general of Formosa; though L doubt
he would refuse the dignity. This by
the way. And yet L ought to mention
him if only for the earnest warning he
gave us about the vermin and reptiles
Of the interior. We spent two days In
lourneying from his house to the woods
in which We proposed to camp for a
fortnight, as happy as Adam and Eve
before the Fall.
The forest scenery was magnificent,
but the brake of brambles and flower
ing creepers which matted themselves
between the tree trunks made progress
very slow. We did not stick to the
tracks: otherwise, of course, it would
have been different. And we we're
repaid for our labor by the strange crea-
lures l shot, and by many grass and
Hover which Hammond was as elated
over as a mother with her first child.
Two more days passed, and We pro-
nounced our holiday success. Then
Hammond sickened of fever or a sun
stroke, | could not determine which
He became delirious, and 1 feared he
would die. l must say the native
formosans, for all their savage look
they were all but naked in this part of
the island-were very kind. They
brought me various juices and simples,
which they urged me to use upon the
invalid. But | was afraid to do that.
preferred to rely upon cold sponging
and the quinine in our medicine chest.
On the seventh night of his illness,
when he was so quiet and improved in
tone that | thought / could leave HIM
IN charge OF Wan Tan, our little native
AIDE -de-camp, and get good sleep my
sell, was suddenly awoke by the boy
with the words, He has gonep True
enough, Hammond had evaded his
guard and run off into the woods in
his 'pyiamas' l was dreadfully
alarmed. Without loss of time, how
ever, the boy and l set out in pursuit;
and after about half an hour we caught
Hlm up as he was returning with bent
pead and puckered brow, but looking
as Tree from delirium as man could.
Why, my dear fello v, 1 said, what
IN the world led you to do so mad
thingf
hammond gazed at me indifferently
for moment. 1t was Just as if he had
not yet got his senses fully after bad
night Then, with good deal of ex-
eitement, he bade me congratulate
him.
Upon what?' l asked.
DO you not remember, he replied,
now We two have talked about the
possible existence of plants that move
from one spot to another with the
Same m freedom as we conceited bipeds?
well, I've solved that problem. They
10 exist. But I can't-I really can't
make out satisfactorily whether they
w II by the exercise of volition, or
"Hether they are transported in spite
Vi themselves. It's not a bit of use
tnoupnng the British Association on
) is it? --'' 'e''teu 'i-"'
1 was half disposed to laugh at him
Shen ne said this. But the mysterious
anu quite unusual kind of earnestness
N MS expression while he was speak
lug not only deferred me, bat even
"sSrn H made me feel uneasy about him.
lou are not serious, Hammond? 1
saiu. and besides, old fellow, it's very
intohg oi you to run away in this fash
ION Not to speak OF the fright you
gave me, you'll catch chill, and we
again o'o-
mean? 'ou
Why, you know you have been i'll,
aaI r you're not we'll yet; and So come
Hght along to bed again.
de said nothing to this. but allowed
tne boy and me to take care of him. / |
must say he looked strange object |
trapped mp IN the blue blanket which |
4 nau selzed for the purpose when after
shn' u' and especially when the moon
~ 9one ~ upon him through the teak-trees |
81 tne forest. The scurryIng among
I e branches overhead seemed to i'm. |
piS tnat The monkeys also found him
uspectacie too str ng for their nerves.
IN was letter in the afternoon. and
- OF ihe service and other matters
perfectly rational manner IT,