The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1892-05-11

HORRID BEDFELLOWS
TARANTULAS CRAWL. ALL OVER A
SLEEPING TRAVELLER.

A Tired Camper Who Awoke One Morn
ing to Feel Poisonous neptils Ell
pioring His Anatomy. While Anethe
Made Bed OF the Mans Upright Hair
Joseph Grandelmyer, well known
mining man of Nevada. has passet
through many startling experiences dur
ing residence Of twenty eight years ID
the far west, but is perhaps the only
man who can boast of having had q
round bakers dozen of deadly tarantulas
for bedfellows and surviving the terri
BILE experience without material injury
1t happened number of years ago, but
even now it causes cold shivers to chase
up Mr. Grandelnyer's spinal column
when his mind reverts to that particula,
svent. However, surrounded by cir.
Gle of friends at the Palace hotel few
evenings since, he was induced to relate
he incident.
"ln 1864 | came to San Francisco,
said the gentleman, and with the hope
fulness of youth determined to make my
fortune had a little money saved up,
but was raw tenderfoot, and whatever
| put my money into failed to pan out
Finally concluded to strike out for Ne
vada. 1t was new section Of country
then, that had been explored to very
limited extent, and when made known
my intention many and urgent were the
requests for me to refrain from being so
foolish as to encounter dangers in such
a wild and almost unknown country.
Nothing daunted, however, and not
allowing myself to be dissuaded from
~ purpose. one day In the summer Of
1864, after inducing three acquaintance
to join me, set out for the land of sage
brush. My particular object in going
was to better my fortune by any method
l could Two Of the party were pros
pectors, and the fourth, DR.. Heath,
went along to spy out good location
for hog ranch.
"Well, after crossing the Sierras at
Walkers pass, we found ourselves in
Owens valley, which is now in Inyo
county. Dusk was approaching. and
when, after riding a distance in the
teeth Of cold wind. we found ourselves
at deserted adobe hut by the roadside
we halted, unpacked and unsaddled our
animals, and prepared to camp for the
night.
TERRIBLE AWAKENING.
There was feed for the horses in abun-
dance, and while one staked them ont
The others began preparations for supper
and made the beds ready. My friends
preferred sleeping undera large oak tree
near, but | chose spot adjoining the
old adobe house, where | spread my
blankets close to the wall where the
wind would not reach me. After hasty
meal we all retired to our respective beds
on the ground and readily dropped off to
sleep.
Il presume it was within an hour Of
daybrea when l awoke with sudden
start. A peculiarly dreadful feeling.
worse than any nightmare, took posses
sion of me. | felt paralyzed and was
afraid to stir. There was something
moving on my face. 1t was not large
object, but as it moved about the trail
left seemed to scorch my face. | felt
tlC LeSO Ii OLu OhO AC1L
eye down over my nose and mouth.
Then it crossed to the other side and ex-
plored in the region of my ear. Then it
was gone.
81 knew it was not a snake gliding
over my face. but some animal much
smaller, though what it was | was utter
ly unable to conjecture. was wide
awake, of course, but such an uncom-
Portable horror held me fast that | was
unable to move muscle and ga4ed help
iessly up at the stars. Once tried to
call out to my companions, but not
sound could | muster. | lay there rigid
rs log, maybe for one minute, maybe
same thing, or something like it, was on
my hand, which rested outside the blan-
ket, and cold chill ran up my arm aud
through my whole body. Still | was
absolutely powerless to move limb, and
involuntarily closed my eyes, almost ex-
pecting to feel them closed in death, SO
dreadful and indescribable was the SEN
sation.
HORRIBLE SUSPENSE
Next | knew it was climbing up
over my throat, then to my chin and
about my nose. An irresistible impulse
caused ME TO open my right eye, and
saw by the dim light the fiery eyes of
big tarantula looking into mine, with
its hairy body on M face, not two inches
away!
Knowing that death or at least pain
full injury might result if l moved my
body, Immediately dropped the eyehd
and had the satisfaction of feeling the
spraying spider crawl over that eye to
my forehead and into my hair, where it
prepared a nest and finally settled down,
no doubt as snugly as a bug in rug.
You may think you can imagine my
feelings, but You cannot For a full
half hoHr, | should judge, endured all
the suspense and torment that comes to
most mortals in lifetime, and allowed
another spider to slowly crawl up my
leg, not knowing at what time | would
feel those black fangs sink into my flesh.
But, thank Gcd. that did not hap
pen. or should probably not now be
alive. Ages after that, so it seemed,
Dr.. Heath arose, and, after dressing,
came TO see if | was awake. | whis-
pered TO him the particulars of my
plight, and in my hair, which had been