Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1893-11-20
A Tarantula ON Him

The bite of tarantula is almost as
dangerous or as fatal rs that Of a raj
tlesnake, and without prompt attention
the sufferer dies in an hour or two.
1t was from one of these creatures
that John Thrummer, of Fredericks-
burg, Tenn, received fright lately
that nearly turned his hair white in a
few minutes.
Putting on his outer shirt a few morn
ings ago he felt something fall from one
of the sleeves on TO his breast, and
through the opening of his undershirt
on to his naked flesh. Looking down
he saw an enormous spider coiled up
and seemingly half dead fom cold.
But getting warmed with the heat Of
his body, it presently began TO straight
en- out its long limbs covered with
| coarse, red bristles, and before Thrum-
mer could knock it out, WAS plainly It's
old aggressive self. Mr.. Ihrummer did
not dare seize it with bis fingers lest it
should fasten on them, nor did he dare 20
| make any movement TO Cisiodge
it for fear that it would instant
ly fix its jaws i'll his flesh. He
called his wife softly, 5ut she was still
asleep. He dare not lean over to touch
her, so he continued to call her un,i at
last she opened her eyes. Thtn he
told her TO get up aud take Tie tongs
and remove the creature is quickly as
possible so as not TO give it warning OF
what she was about lest it might bite
HIM
Mrs. Thlummer, from her husbands
quiet tone, thought at first that he was
testing, and pulled open the shirt TO
look for herself, when she saw the
tarantula. The creature also slw her,
and still clingiug to the mans breast,
bfistled all over with menace.
Therefore, getting up without more
noise than could be helped, She ran fer
the tongs and approached tHc spot
where the insect lay.
Bet, as if it OWNED that she was
about to seize it, it suddenly ran mp to
Mr. 'Hhrummcrs left shoulder and over
on his back. Ouiy abb TO guess ay lis
exact Whereabouts, Mis-. Thranmer
was at first afraid to try and seize i,
fjr fear that she would not locate it
right. and that it would bury lis ter
rbla G,ngs in her husband. Bat at
last, eeirg it move s ghtly, she made
a sudden plunge ii j, and catch
it well between the pronss Of
the tongs, held it firmly Squeezing it as
tightly as she could, endeavoring to
kill it, or at least render il so that it
would not be able to bite. Another of
the family now coming in, the shirt
was 1t away. Thrummer was so ner-
vous that he sobbed like g child. Mrs.
Thrumn C. let 60 her ho,d, and the
Q ant spider fell to the floor.
But, though badly crushed, it was
not dead, and showed fight at once.
Il ran at Mrs Thrummcr fercely, at
tempting to get at her bare feet, and
had to be beaten off with broom.
1t was finally captured and confined
in box with a glass top, but in a few
days stung itself to death. 1t would
fling itself upon the walls Of It's prison
and cndeavOr TO seize the wood Wtth
its mandibles in sort OF fury. Nlr.
Thrummer is Of the belief that were
these creatures substituted for snakes
the whole world would be prohibition
lists. The one that paid him so unwel-
come visit was one Of the largest ever
seen in those parts, nearly covering,
with its legs extended, a large saucer.
1t had probably sought the, house Tor
warmth at the beginning of cold wealth