The Ohio Democrat. (Logan, O. [Ohio]) 1886-1906, 1892-05-21
UGLY BEDFELLOWS,
Thirteen TarintuIas In tho Couol Of q
ProspcctOr In Nevadu.

| through many startling experiences
| Iuring q residence of twcnty-eight
years in the far west, but is, perhaps,
the only man who can boast of having
a round bakers dozen of deadly taran-
tulas for bedfcllows and surviving the
terrible experience without material in
jury. It happened number of years
ago. but even now it causes cold shivers
TO chase up Mr.. Grandelmyer's spinal
column when his mind reverts to that
particular event However, he was in
luced to relate the incident
I'm 1864 | came to San Francisco"
said the gentleman, land with the
hopefulncss Of youth determined to
make my fortune. / had little money
saved up, but was a raw tenderfoot, and
whatever ! put uy money into failed TO
oan out. Finally concluded to strike
put for Nevada. 1t was a new section
IF country then, that had been explored
30 a very limited extent, and when |
made known my intention many and
lrgent were the requests for me to re-
Grain from being 80 foolish as to en-
counter dangers in such wild and al
most unknown country. Nothing
launted however, and not allowing
ayself to b. dissuadcd from my pur
oose, one dly in the summer of 1864
lftcr inducing three acquaintances TO
Join me, | set out for the land of sage
brush. My particular object in going
was TO better my fortune 10y any method
/ could. Two of the party were pros
pectors and the fourth, Il DR.. Heath,
went along to spy out good location
tor a hog ranch"
"Well, it would be wearisome to eX =
plain all the Incidents connected with
the trip, including tho streams we
fordcd, the mountains we climbed and
the many obstacles we suimounted, but
after crossing the Sierra ut Walkers
Pass we found ourselves in Owens val
ley, which is now in Invo county. Dusk
was approaching and when, after rid
ing distance in the teeth of cold
wind, we found ourselves at IL deserted
adobe hut by the roadside, we halted,
unpaclled and uusaddled our animals,
and prepared to camp for the night.
There was feed for the horses in abun-
dance and while one stated them out
the others began preparations for sup
per and made the beds ready. My
friends preferred sleeping under large
oak tree near, but | chose spot ad-
joining the old adobe house. where |
spread my blankets close to the wall,
where the wind would not reach me.
After d hasty meal we all retired to our
respective beds on the ground, and
readily dropped off to sleep.
81 presume it was within an hour of
daybreall when | awolle with a sudden
start. A peculiarly dreadful feeling,
worse than any nightmare, took pos
session of me. felt paralyzed, and was
afraid to stir. There was something
moving over my face. 1t was not a large
object, but as it moved about the trail
left seemed to scorch my face. | felt
the thing traverse my face from the left
eye down over my nose and mouth.
Then it crossed to the other side and eX.
plored in the region of my ear. Then il
was gone.
II knew it was not n snake gliding
over my face, but some animal much
smaller, though what it was l was ut
terly able to conjecture. | was wide
awake, of course, but such an uncom
, Portable horror held me fast that was
unable to move q muscle, and gazed
helplessly up at the stars that twinkled
so merrily in the dark vault above as il
in moci1ery at my situation. Once 1
tried to cal out to my companions, but
not "a sound could muster. l lay there
rigid as log, maybe for one minute,
, maybe for five, when again knew that
, the same thing or something like it was
on my hand, which rested outside the
blanket, and cold chill ran up my arm
and through nv whole body. Still
was absolutely powerless to move a
| limb, and involuntarily closed my eyes
: almost expecting to feel them closed in
death, so dreadful and indescribablt
, was the sensation. Next knew it was
! climbing up over my throat, then to my
chin and about my nose. An irresisti
BILE impulse caused me to open my righ
eye, and saw by the dim light the fiery
eyes of a big tarantula looking into
, mine, with his hairy body resting or
) my face, not two inches away.
{ knowing that death, or at least pain
, full injury, might result if | moved my
body, l Immediately dropped the cyclic
and had the satisfaction of feeling the
, crawling spider crawl over that eye t.
, my forehead and into my hair, where i
prepared a nest and finally settled down
no doubt as snugly and comfortably a!
bug in q rug. You may think yor
can imagine my feelings, but you can,
} not For full half hour, l should
Judge, endured all the suspense anC
torments that come to most mortals il
: lifetime, and allowed another spide
, to crawl up my leg, not knowing Il
. what time | would feel these blacl
fangs sink into my flesh.
: But, thank God, that did not hap
= pen or l should probably not now b.
S 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 beer
l standing on end for don't know hov
S long, he discovered and at once killed
one of the tarantulas. an immense fel
low, fully three inches long. Carefully
turning back the blankets and eXamin
ing me he found twelve others that hat
undoubtedly sought my quarters 70
warmth. These he quickly but quietly
dispatched in manner not to alarm
l the others. When the strain was owe
/ tainted, and was delirious with braii
fever for many days. Since then yo,
. may depend upon it have always taltel
, good care in the selection of campin,
spot, for of all the bedfellows one car
encounter one of the most terrifying
u tarantula. San Francisco Examiner
), -----'---
y Out of Sight.
, One of the slang phrases which hav
q been popular within the last few month
? is the very expressive one, ''out O
r sight" 1t is not, however, a new one