The Mason County journal. [volume] (Shelton, W.T.) 1886-1927, 1894-09-21


probability my poor servant. though l
would never have known that CHASTITY.
battened shape for him.
could scarcely prevail on the man
to go back with me into the shaft. but
at last he consented to walk behind
me and to hold the torch that might
kill the deadly creature and bring out
the body of the poor boy for burial
We found the monster that the Next
can had fired at writhing about, evil
IDENTIFY wounded by the shot, and.
quickly dispatching him. we stopped
to lift the dead boy when my nostriiS
were smitten by fresh Whit OF indie
scribably offensive Odor resembling
that of decaying raw meat which 1l1led
the place. The Mexican and | sprang
about to see crawling out OF the gloom
at the far end of the shaft second
monster. Aiming. carefully / fired at
the moving form, but must have
missed the reptile, for with incredible
swiftness of movement it reached me
and seized my left foot. Fortunately
| had on thick hunting boots reach
ing to my knee. so that as far as
| was concerned the creature was
harmless, but the Mexican with me
was bare footed, and cried out to me to
kill the monster before it could turn
on him, so leaning down placed my
weapon almost to the thing head and
blew it's brains out.
During the same year of this occur
renee a young mining engineer from
the east ran away with the daughter
of wealthy Mexican ranchman. who
objected to the marriage on the score
of the young mans poverty. The
couple, pursued by The angry father, a
man who had the reputation of being
swift to kill. made for Fort Grant, but
were obliged to cross the mountains. A
storm was coming up, and their driver
sought shelter in a deserted adobe hut,
where they were kept all night. TO
this place they were traced by the
father. but he found only three dea
and swollen bodies in the hut with two
ella monsters. These showed fight,
but were killed. and the heart-broken
father returned home.
On the river from which these rep
tiles take their name are the remains
of an extensive dwell irg house which
in its day was a marvel OF architecture
and elegance to the Mexicans. Its
owner was a Sig. Mesilla, who had
been educated in the east, and who
had brought home a bride from some
northcru state whom his college DAYS
we're over. But for all his adoption of
American manners and customs the re-
vengeful nature OF his race lived in
him. A short time after his marriage
he grew jealous of 4 friend who had
beer classmate Of his and who had
accompanied him home to see some
thing Of the country. TO the sus-
piciouS Mexican it seemed that his
youn:; wife looked with too smiling Il
countcDance on her countrylna:l. and
in his Gar: mind he pianncd Il revenge
unique i'll its way. He procured !. pair
OF Gala monsters and promised his
ranchmcn Il rare treat, something
letter and more novel than 4 bull
fight. Monarch Of the country for
miles aoOut, there was no one to in
terfcre with his gr m pleasure, so one
day without warning he caused his
guest to be stripped of his
clothing except one light garment
and shut IN the court Of the place
formed by the blank walls of the four
connected buildings that forme the
ranchhouse. The victim w;;s provided
with knife and then thc monsters
We're let into this improviscd arena.
Mcsilla and his men sat upon the low
roofs and watched the combat with
shouts of laughter and cheers as the
reptiles and the man fought The
American was unaware OF the deadly
character Of the creatures he vas ar
raycSi against. and, while bitten again
and again, thought he was fighting for
his life, and succeeded in finally kill
ing one of the reptiles, though the
poison was fast rendering him blind
and sick. At last he fell dead Oh the
body of the monster he had slain,
while the other, though wounded,
fastened itself upon the corpse.
Messill;t had forced his wife to wit
ness this horrible scene until she had
falntea, and now that the man was
dead the cruel husband had he,. low
cred into the yard. As she raa chci the
stone paving of the place. she recov-
cred consciousness and, seeing the
dreadful form of the monster era wiling.
toward her. hastily snat:hel from the
dead mans hand the knife with which
he had fon :,4t AMI plunge: it in her
breast, fall.S!,: lifclcss be j /. :.tr e ,na-
tr,man. Alc ia wishing. ilolv, v =. to
satisfy l;la,ciI that both OF t'i;,:l were
really dcI :. now desccnl,e! in,u tl,,
courtyard himself. ANA w;3& sci, i2.
to examine his victims w.,>.i he
woundc AMI dying reptile. ,...i..,i lie
had forgotten raised it's evil i.<:. and
liked is IaN%s in his foot ,,..:,.l!a
died bcirl., It co.ild be detached from
1T, and Is WAS necessary to cu5 it away
before Mes.Ila could D. placed in his
cotfin.-Philadclphia Times.
Quaint Old Whit Mcctin.-iIouses.
In the midst Of the prevailing craze
for odd and bizarre atylca Of ar.litec-