davidaulloa/AmericanStories huggingface dataset:
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
CRAWLING TERRORS
OF THE SWAMP
Naturalist O'Reilly Says Tropical In
sects are to Be Dreaded.
Invasfons of Ants and Tarantulas-Homes
Destroyed and Lives q Burden
Through the Pests that Hatch
and Grow in Human Flesh.

Copyright. 1893. by Bachelor & Johnson
Syndicate.)
have wandered much in the widest
part of the world. and always had a
fondness for reading the works of
travellers
Now what strikes me as the greatest
difference between my own experiences
and the narratives of others is that
one can pass over immense distances
and through the most savage countries,
and yet see hardly anything of the
large and fierce animals we love so
much to read of and which book
makers always tell US something
thrilling about. For my part, l be-
lieve that things are. after all, general
ly as I found them. The perils from
fierce beasts and savage men. in
wandering through unfrequented
regions, are small grievances compared
with the terrible dangers and annoy
ances one has to suffer from the very
smallest and least thought of animals,
the insects
In our northern countries where
these many-legged pests are yearly
killed off by the cold or forced to dis
appear beneath the ground or into
other hiding places for months. they
are bad enough, as anyone can tell
who has experienced the blood thirsty
mosquitoes in the swamps of New
Jersey or Staten Island; but what is it
in the tropics where the leaves OF the
trees the decaying branches, the
water, nay even the very dust itself
seem to swarm with living beings
Wherever climate is warmest and the
beauties of vegeta BILE nature most pro-
fuse, there insects are sure to abound,
and do not little to spoil all enjoy
ment of life. Scorpions, tarantulas,
centipedes, ticks, jiggers, ants, mos
quitoes, BOTTLES, hornets, and many
others, with numerous varieties of
each, make formidable array.
Like the nations of men the insect
tribes congregate as classes very much
in particular localities, SO that if you
find in place one of certain kind,
say scorpion, you can be pretty sure
that after little searching you will
discover more
From every one in the list mentioned
either myself or my travelling COM
panions in Africa and South America
have personally suffered, and perhaps
inquis tive readers will be pleased to
get an account of our experiences.
OF the insects I have named it would
be hard to tell which one is the worst,
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
~Ossu~ s~o -
S~rflf SNsA

| American countries. poisonous taran-
tulas are by far the most to be dreaded.
They range in color from light brown
to blush black. No tiny creeper is the
tarantula- His eight legs will some
times spread over a space of five inches
in diameter Over the entire surface
of the body and legs he is covered with
thick coat of hair or fur fully an
eight of an inch in length Right on
the top of what we will call his head is
cluster of six eyes all gathered to-
gether in a little hillock On each side
of the front of his forehead is single
and globular like ruby set there for
ornamentation. Now, while this scor-
pion carries single weapon in his tail
the tarantula carries two in his head.
black shining, and perforated, so as to
allow the venom to pass through into
the wound These wea pons may aptly
be called nippers, and are used to hold
and kill his prey. They are slightly
curved, as thick as stocking needle
and sometimes over halt an inch long
that is, in length and thickness these
nippers fully equal the poison teeth of
the adult rattlesnake. Woe to the hum
ming bird or even lizard caught by the
hairy tarantula A large one which 1
once kept in a glass fronted cage, used
to kill and devour lizards four inches in
length as well as all the insects I could
get for him On one OCCASION he killed
and ate mouse that had almost at
tanned its full size. He was danger
Gus, but very interesting prisoner. But
in spite of his size and venom, he was
himself killed and partly ten about
two months after, by an invading army
of fire ants
AS 1 was once bathing in tree
shaded bend of a Venezuelan river, a
most curious coincidence occurred.
Standing to the waist in the water l
noticed two canoes coming down the
/ counted two men in each. While the
hand was thus appraised / felt something
alight upon my wrist To my horror
it was large tarantula clinging to me
with all his great hairy legs outspread.
With violent shake | flung him off
into the water and scampered for the
bank as fast as could. He had fallen
from a great tree-trunk leaning out
over the spot l had just stood in A
piece of rotten bark had given way
with him, and both dropped at the
same time and were now floating separ-
ately down with the current From a
village upstream the men had come
to seek me- for two days before wo-
man had been bitten by tarantula,
and these her friends wished me to 90
with them, thinking that a man who
hunted and fearlessly caught the dead
ly snakes of the country, would surely
be a BILE to cure the bite of a tar antula.
Before we had time to start one of their
fellow villagers, passing by, informed
us that the woman was dead.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

for though the scorpion is large and
well armed with venom he is usually
alone, whereas oftentimes the small
delicate mosquitoes, ants or ticks make
up by their mum bers tormenting army
so countless, that retreat from their
territory is FREQ uently the only means
of safety from their attacks But still
we may justly regard the scorpion as
virtual king of them ALL for he will
assuredly kill and devour the others: nor
is there any man so brave as to wilfully
suffer even a single puncture of his ter
rible sting.
A scorpion is like little lobster, but
with this difference, that while the
Holsters tail is curled beneath him.
that of the scorpion is carried up over
his back just as adog's is, and from the
tip-of this tail protrudes his ever ready
and formidable sting Around the
base of the sting are numerous invisible
openings from which the venom is
sprayed out around the wound into
which the sting enters. Consequently
the first thing to do when stung is to
suck the place vigorously with the
mouth: or. if this cannot be done, to
wipe il well with a dampened handker-
chief. Should this operation be per
formed at once, most OF the after
trouble will be avoided.
In the Blue Mountains Island of
Jamaica, was once stung by a scor-
pion in the tip of the first finger In
stantly damned it in my mouth and
sucked as hard as / was able, with the
result that beyond slight mum bness
of the part, which remained for two
or three days | never suffered any in
convenience. 4 friend of mine received
similar sting in the same part a few
days afterwards Instead OF using nv
remedy he ran at once 20 doctor 10
have the wound treated medically.
The delay was only short for the doc
tor lived close by. but before he ar
rived there the poison had had time to
be absor bed, and The consequence was
that in spite OF cauterization and appli-
cation OF ammonia, the hand swelled TO
an enormous size and caused him TO DE
extremely III FOR the whole following
week BIZ. these scorpions were small
Neither in Southern Europe nor III
the West Indies nor II auy OF the coun-
tries OF South or Central America that
have visited, have ! anywhere seen
scorpions of extraordinary size AS "a
rule they are from one and half TO
three inches N length, bu; occasionally
you meet with one OF FIVE or six 4 friend
IN the French Foreign Legion. gave re
Z large black one which he had brough.
from the province OF oran IN Algeria
measuring over nine inches, with an
enormous sting and claws In his co.
lection from the same place saw many
similar 10 IL In South Africa their
length does not exceed six inches; bu.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
AN ELEPHANT HANGED.
Curious Accident to q Big Brute in Nc'
York Loft.

tCrk lOfS.
The death of an elephant by hang
ing occurred in New Y ork recently at
q place where animals CT this kind are
stored. The beast belonged to J. B.
Gaylord and arrived there from Bor-
neo, where it was captured March 16.
The animal, according to the New
York Post, was four years old, FIVE feet
two inches high and about as long, and
was quite docile. 1t was deemed best
to keep the beast in a tyvelve-foot box
stall; secured by cleats nailed across
the open end to a height of six feet,
and wire netting fastened above this
But the elephant tore out the netting,
and another foot of Cheating was added,
secured by wire. The animal then be-
gan the operations which resulted
fatally. 1t wrenched loose an end of
the upper1nost cleats. 1t then thrust
its head into the opening thus made.
and somehow climbed up high enough
TO get all four feet above the floor and
the head through the opening. The
cleat fell on the neck behind the ears.
The animal must then have lost it's
purchase with its toes on the cleats be-
low and fallen. Its immense weight
prevented it from freeing its head, and
% it was found in the morning, sus-
pended with its hind legs three inches
above the floor dead from strangula-
ton 1t has been sent to 1axider-
mist, and will adorn some museum.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
By Water to the Fair Grounds.

One of the most charming experiences to
be had either by visitors or by Chicagoans
Is the water excursion to the Worlds fair
grounds. The magnificent whaleback
steamer Columbus, which has been spe-
cialIy built and arranged for the highest
luxury in lake travel, and which was
named in honor of the admiral whose
memory is being celebrated, is the chief
vessel of the feet. Boats leave the Van
Buren, street pier every ten minutes for
the court of honor in the heart of the fair
grounds. The voyage is made in thirty
minutes and the fare is 25 cents for the
round trip. In no other way can the mag
nifcent panorama of Chicago and the
White City be SO comfortably and SO de-
lightfullv seen.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
THE MODERN DRAwlNG-ROOM.
Though Far from Perfect, 1t Is Steadily
Improving.

Though Far from Perfect, 1t Is Steadily
Improving.
When you can no longer turn round
in her drawing-roOms without jeopar-
dizing a spindle-shanked table or com
ing into violent contact with a screen,
when you cannot cross the room with
out ducking your head to avoid a flight
of cottonwood storks that are suspend
ed from the ceiling, and when you cam
not enter the room without being
caught in the tangles-of bead cur
tain-then the modern hostess is proud
and happy, feeling that she has done
her duty by her house and her genera
ton.
And then an excellent receipt for the
construction of this sort of drawing
room is as follows:
'Take five large screens, as many
sofas and like number of palms.
Surround each palm and sofa with
screen so as to cut off as much as posi-
BILE all communica ton with the outer
world represented by the rest of the
room. Drape the screens with as MANY
different pieces OF liberty silk as they
can conveniently carry, and tie up the
pots of each palm, and in some cases its
stem as well, with liberty scarfs. Pin
rs many unseemly insects in the folds
Of the draperies as you can. Hang d
tambourine from one of the palm
leaves, sprinkle photographs wherever
you can and then serve up and await
results"
We cannot but recognize the truth Of
this irrita BILE description, and vet taste
i'm decoration is improving. 1t is graft
flying TO see less and less of the jim
crack decorations entering into now
aday' furnishings. We can all of us
recall the fearful white tides that we
dreaded to muss: and the Brussels car
pet with the awful scrawl design, and
She blue roses and the grave-like mar
Dle mantels, and the orange-colored
mats, and the white china door knobs,
and the Chinese pagoda of perforated
card board, that dear Aunt Maria made
and those lovely wax peaches that be-
came dented with age, and as the
recollection of it all dawns upon us we
wonder whatever became of the lovely
box on the whatnot that was made by
FASTING sea-shells all over it, and the
hanging baskets. with the rustic twigs
stuck on with sealing waN-they looked
SO much like coral
The whatnot was always such
thing to be carefully guarded; there
were so many valuable things on it.
We wonder where the wonderful ships
are that came from the glass blowers.
We no longer see the Berlin wool
cross-stitch pictures that were hung on
the wall.
We no longer see the pastel picture
of Innocence" that hung in the corner,
in frame that was all black walnut
and gold, and we miss those grand slip
pers of magenta velvet with two green
parrots embroidered in worsted.
All, those were the days of the renais-
sance in American decorative art. They
were days, truly, of American schemes
in decoration, and we have come to the
conclusion that we cannot do better
than to slavishly initiate some of the
old world methods and old world
Styles.-National Review.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

came very uneasy and would gladly
which was falling in continuous down
pour Taking the lamp and some long
sticks we commenced a diligent inves-
tlgation of the whole interior and
IN short time had killed
no less than seventeen tarantulas
A few escaped and the thought of these
made us chary of going to sleep; so we
left the lamp lighted and smoked and
smoked and chatted till morning. To-
wards daylight we became aware of
rustling overhead amongst the dried
leaves of the root, and presently on TO
the table by the lamp dropped n good
sized tarantula, locked in death
struggle with four inch gecko ta liz
ard. As the rain continued all next
day we were of couse confined TO the
house and made further search but
beyond catching sight of two or three
hairy-iegged fellows scampering away
through the loose thatch, our hunt was
quite unsuccessful
Far more troublesome and even
more dangerous than scorpions or tar
antulas' Is that lively and almost in
visible pest the jigger He is only a
small flea, but far more 70 be dreaded
than thousand ordinary ones. When
he makes his attack you know nothing
OF it He burrows quietly beneath the
skin. generally around the nails of
fingers or toes and leaves there, I'M
known to you. nest full of eggs Two
or three days afterwards you become
troubled with an itching feeling. and
woe to you if you don't carefully dig
out the entire colony; for if any of the
eggs remain you will suffer from long
and oainfgl alterations
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

Far worse than the jigger. but, fortu-
nately, not nearly so common, is the
bot-fy (Oestrus). another native Of
Tropical America This most trouble
some fly, instead of placing all its eggs
in one nest, distributes them, laying
one at time on the skin at every
chosen spot Each egg gives out little
larva or grub, which works its way
under the skin and lives, eats, and
grows there, causing sometimes intol-
cradle suffering for many weeks
An acquaintance of mine at colon,
found tumor growing on his shin
Day by day it became worse. until at
last unable to walk about longer. he
took to his bed. Finally he entered the
hospital at Panama, where after three
weeks detention the attending physi-
clan laid open the place with the
lancet, and removed from the swelling
young bot-fiy in the form of a whitish
larva an inch long and as thick as a
mans little finger. 1t was six weeks
after wards before he was well enou rh
to leave the hospital In 1890 Mr..
Andrew Lamy, of Port of Spain, whsle
on hunting expedition in the woods.
got one in his forehead, nor did he
know what it was that caused the
tumor and its accompanying pains
until the doctor dislodged the intruder
with the lancet 1t is mentioned in
Insect Life, pu blished by the t. S De-
partment of Agriculture, Sept, 1892.
(page 5s) that Mr.. David Logan, now
connected with the Gypsy moth COM
mission of Massachusetts. was attacked
while in the United States of Columbia
in the lip AT another time he had
Is in his back, and for six weeks suf-
fered from one in Ms shoulder.
/ myself have seen them beneath the
skin of monkeys, agoutis, dogs and
even snakes; but up to the present earn
not aware that anyone has actually>ob-
served the fly depositing it's eggs Ham
disposed to think that this is done at
night while the victim is asleep
OF ali the insect pests in Tropical
America small red ants caused me the
greatest trou bic. They ruined my.pro-
visions in the woods and worried mes
with their bites In the town they.
killed my snakes, birds, rare mice, liz
sCOI pIOuo IL WHICH L
kept confined in cages and besidesthis,
they devoured all the dead specimens
they could ever get hold OF These in
sects are about an eight of an inch in
length, with color a semi-transparent
foxv-red, and move rather slowly On
account of the burning sensation caused
by their attacks, they were often called
FIRE ants" More than once in wet
weather ! have been driven out Of nv
bed at dead of night by their invasioas;
and three times in Trinidad had TO 81.
up till morning 10 protect nv Gagged
pets from being worried and killed by
the pestilent swarrns
Thus ! may conclude that in the
widest parts of South Africa and South
America leopards. spotted hysenas,
jaguars. pumas and venomous serpen,s
gave me hardly any trouble. while in
sect prosecutors we're from time 70
time the cause of almost intolera bic |
annoyance g. T. OREuLT,
Member of ROYAL Geological Society |
of Ireland
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

Besides, hear some talk that the expo

Besides, I hear some talk that the expo
Gtion will be kept open at least two weeks
in November, and perhaps all that month.
As a rule the first half of November is
agreeable in Chicago, cool but pleasant
most Of the days. If the managers find
when the end of October comes that the in
terest in the fair is still great, and that
any very large number Of people would
still like to see it, they may arrange with
exhibitors to keep the gates open two
weeks longer. If they should do this, and
take in an average of 200 900 tickets per
day during the first half of November, the
chances will be very good indeed of beat
ing the proud record made by the French
four years ago.
These speculations as to the number of
people who are likely to see the great fair
are both important and interesting, be-
cause it is only by this measure that we
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
Why Gus Kicked

"I wonder why ali my friends treat
me SO coldly," asked Gus Clamwhcoper.
We'll. you see, Gus. you have been
living fast life. You have run through
the fortune left you by Your father"
replied Charlie Knickerbockcr.
YES, but that's his fault in not leHv-
ing me bigger fortune. l don't think
il is right that the sins of the fathers
should be visited on the Children
Taxos Siff;nerS
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
EPILEPSY OR FITS.

Cza this dsssase be cared. Nns. paFsacsass say
No-fsay. Yes; g. fo-z.s z.1 ne wcrst ca<es- ~
Ter 20 years s.y Ar1 e-sse;l=sez. hare fosae tie
rszs1y.-Er-sssssy is cares. q s.: esges. 10 sSa-
6ze1 by epa.es-.ae Cd t-ncae-uszs. 9zsek f-ess-
-s--- Do LOT tesg4r. Forge: p-ss zye@.-saz1. c.
yez- ysr-e, past cstz-es O. FS7zr c9-Se.eE. Tz,s
sssazres- Lock t0-xz-l, las hrscssx-i NJ rszzsssy
/. q :s-zsg. sGSzAas@ xlrK CO fhr SKI * sd
Ar-e A5.s5s G. LIE rsEc47-sz1zi free f0< ira
ysz-1ca poxs-yszss aza Exr-ess s5d-esz-
Prst. ". L sEEKE, :. .. Ced2z s.. Seq 1ssk
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
On Financial Business.

Seedy Caller-Are you the financial
editor of this paper?
Man at the Desk-Yes, sir. What
can do for you?
Seedy Caller-Couldn't you lend a
pore map fifty cents?-ChicGgo Trib-
Sne
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
The Lc2vcp.

Artist Ito class of young women)-
Now, 1 think the composite picture of
this class would be artistically beauti-
full.
Pretty Student (aside)-Strange that
one face could SO bring up the average.
Pick
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
Real Economy.

81 have a remarkably economicax
wife"
Makes herAown bonnets and gowns,
1 suppose
NO dcEctcdly; "she makes nv
shirts. cuffs and collars. though. Glib
ego Recorxi
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

The executive committee has finally
adopted the resolution giving full author
ity TO the council OF administration and
recognizing Director General Davis as the
chief executive and Chief Of Works Burn
ham as his first assistant.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

''Welsh Days" at the Worlds fair, dur
ing which the most exciting musical con-
tests will be held September 5, 6, Z, S, at
Festival hail. promises to be the greatest
success of any eis,eddfod ever held by the
people whose unique and peculiar institu-
ton it is.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
Worry SrspiciouH.

Friend-Why Elvira, what's the mat
ter?
Elvira-Oh. / don't know, only I'm
worried to death. I've had the same
girl six weeks, and she doesn't tallo
q bout leaving yet
'She.doesn'tY'
mo. not n word She must be ia
love with my husband. IN. Y. Weekly.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

King writes 1s that be Is doing
s1orne VERY brilliant |o-k nov
les; he is writing ads f9~ ners
acss E--.AAA ---iJaznoxEs. ; &1-s<xSe
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
What He Had I~zr..s..s

Lady feutering shoe storet--T would
like 10 look at so1ne number tvoS-
New Boy anxious 70 show his
knowledge l-Tes'En: most every orc
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
Dressed to Kill.

Clara-Now I'm all ready for the
ball How do look, lack?
Jack-You remind me of Sioux in
his war paint.
''oh. You nasty thing. II
Don't cry, darling. simply meant
YOU were dressed to Kill. Chips.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
sweet fnnOs~nse-

Wanna, mamma. ] know now VIII
/ can't keep my hands clean ever"
NamTua-Hhy Il IL?
Why, cause were made Of dust:
teacher told ns so.r-Chicsgo Inter
Ocean
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
Snrc tn Re Profitable.

when L grow up" said Bob. I'm
going to be an architect and draw pic
lures of big houses, and make other
people build EN- and pay me for letting
'em do it."-Harper's Young People
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

Wasn't that = moving s~r-z,on On do
nestic charities by DR. Monthly
Yes, indeed Old sieynarut actually
dropped . tear in a plsie- Harvard
Lamrsoou-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

When Baby was SICK, 7e gave her Csstor'a-
Who. she w.s Child, sic cried Coz Castoria-
When she became Miss. she chung to CaStor1a
when she lad Children, she gave them CastoEis-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

II they lack size they make up for it In
number, at least in some localities
If scorpions are rare in our southern
continent and the sunny West Indies,
those hairy lions of the insect world,
the tarantulas, are quite numerous
enough to make picnic parties lively.
Among the many gigantic spiders which
invade ones bedrooms in tropical
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

she-Nrs- Lakeleixh IS verT iisetry.
Every the she sg1-rries, she getS Nh
husband
He-Yes, and always divorces poor
oae-i.!fe-
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

At restaurant u customer who haf
ordered cauhhower su gratin found
in the middle of IL large tin tack
Calling a waitress be inquired: lis Tins
a part of the-caulifiower?"
No" she replied, its part Of thu
grating "-Togue.
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02

The Queen OF Greece IL prexid>n. Of
a sisterhood devoted 70 the reformation
Of criminals
The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1893-07-02
IN FRANCE.

New York Girl - You understand
French. do you not?
Vassar Girl-Yes; but don't under
stand why the French don't understand
their own languaCe.-Once 4 Week.