Blackfoot news. (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1891-1902, 1893-06-17
THE DEATH SPIDER.

There was once on one Of the thor
oughfares which grope into the maze
81 lanes and alleys surrounding
Seven Dials. in London. shop as
odd and repuisiye as its keeper.
.Beriah Hargon.n painted over the
door. dimIy proclaimed through a
coat Of CRIME the name By which he
mad long been known; but in the
minds Of the neighborhood gamins
the nickname s.Gobelin" had come
through q mist OF superstitious fear
ana ignorance. He was as ugly a
man as one could see in all the
metropolis. His face was almost hid
den by gray. bristling beard. shaggy
eyebrows. and the long tangled curls
Of his dusty hal. His greasy and
fudely -mended clothes had been
forced to serve him for a quarter of
his co years Though he shufied
about. supporting his bent form upon
huge. twisted cane. he held his
head skaiy erect. and two red trimmed.
evil eyes glared with 6erce waEchful-
ness at every one he met
The goods displayed IN the one
dirty-glassad window. and upon the
shelves iRside. showed Harg0n 10 be
naturalist and morbid anatOmist
There we're cases OF impaled insects.
numerous skulls. and a number of
Jars Of snakes. as veil as portions OF
the humaa frame. preserved in aico-
hoL The cracked be hanging on
spiral spring against the door seldom
announced the entrance of anyone but
Hargon himself. and this fact had
given rise to the belief that the
s'Gobelinn had sold himself to the
devil and needed no customers
Late one winter night this man
began fateful task. He closed the
shop. and satisfying himself that no
curious one was lurking without, ne
carried candle into the back room.
Placing il upon a table, he drew a
broken chair into its brightest light
and sat down. An expression of
deadly intention rendered him hid
eous as he pulled toward him black
book and opened it. Upon the right
page was diagram Of a monster spi-
der which he carefully measured and
examined; then turning to the left
page he read in hard, gruff voice:
He who having solemnly compact
ed with the Power. essays to construct
and make live the Death Spider
must construct two. 1t is written,
and let him heed; he must construct
two
Wrinkles of deep inquiry quilted
his black forehead and meshed his
eyes as he exclaimed:
Why two?"
Finding no satisfactory answer in
his own mind, he read on:
''Iie who desireth to create the
ReaNh Spider may call the helper,
who will render assistance, instruc-
tion. and perform all necessary SER
vice. Place the palm over the picture
of the spider, call thrice aloud Girls
skin, aud the helper will appear.
The gobelin Obeyed these instruc-
Sions without delay, and instantly
there appeared beside him-not en-
tering through door or window. but
as ifa portion of the air had been
soiidified and animated grotesque
being, Who, rubbing his eyes and
yawaing. said ill-humoredIy:
81 am here, but not beholden to
you for waking me. No one has
called me for fifty years, and was in
siunber. What is your wish9"
He was not taller than three feet.
and was dressed in a single tight.fit-
ting garment, much like a modern
jersey, which covered his entire
body, and revealed his singular form.
His legs were thin and wlrv. and
tapered to little pointed feet, while
his arms we're muscular as those OF 4
an athlete; but his head, dispropor-
tionately large, and face. especially.
were startling. 1t was one OF those
smooth, puzzling faces which look
youthful, but which bear an indefn-
able suggestion of age. Around his
mouth and in the wrinkle of his
black eyes were indications of cun-
ming, which flashed into treacb-
erous leer whenever Hargon's sight
was turned from him.
"fou would make the Death
Spider, ehPp he said, repeating the
old mans reply. ''What for?"
Unjust you know thatP" glowered
the gobeiin.
Verify, must!' retorted the imp.
tmpudently, leaping to the table.
and, with the burst Of merrfment
polSing his tapered foot against Har
CONS breast. ''How am to work If
] know not that?r
Not reiishing this liberty, Hargon
moved his chair, and, looking hard
at his visitor, said:
II will tell you, then.
GrissiIsin caught his bent knee in
his ciasped hands, and, turning his
head sideways, with his tongue
thrust hard into his cheek and his
bright eyes fixed on the old man.
was prepared to listen.
'Ln Kent there is youth. Andrew
Fithington, whom / hate to the death,
and he must die. His father merci-
lessiy and iniquitously injured me
years ago. and then consulted the
books.of torture for death to send
upon him that would be fitting re-
yenge, but aDoDIexV snatebad bi,,