Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1896-10-12
SPEAKING OF FLEAS.
Venezuelan "Reminiscences SugEested
by a Young WOmnn's Discomfort.

From the New York Sum-
Two girls one plump and the other not
so, got aboard the train at sd street, go
ing up town. They were converSlng anil
matedly, in low tones, frequently inter-
rupting each other and laughing. About
10th street the plump one gave little
Jump, a startled look fitted over her ex-
pressive countenance. and she seemed to
lose interest in the talk. Presently she
jumped again and involuntarily exclaimed
OH The thin one appeared to be asking
ner what was the matter, but she only
shook her head and pressed her lips tight
ly together, while her cheeks flushed red
and look Of trouble settled in her eyes.
Now and then she would execute little
wrggles and squirms, under pretense of
turning to glance out OF the window, or
make furtive small kicks and seemingly
ainless clutches at her draperies. AS the
train stopped at sd street station she sud-
denly spraEg up ard hurried out, follow
ed by her evidently surprised companion.
man who sat opposite her while all that
waS going On.
But who said anything about fieas?'
interrupted The dull man beside him.
I'm going to- answered the first speak
er imperturbably. Il made a discovery
once in Venezuela that should be matter Of
public knowledge, especially In the tropics.
1 was in La Guayra, where l had to walt
get back to New York. 1t was in the sea-
sen when the coffee crop comes In, and
people there say one flea comes with every
coffee bean. That is, l believe, an under
sta tement Probably a thousand fleas to
every bean would be more nearly correct.
At all events, 1 have never seen so many
| feaS anywhere else, even in San Francisco
| or Mexico. The settling up of some bust
ness compelled me TO visit, nearly every
day, the coffee warehouse of Senior Jose
| Del Ollo. where there was only a pathway
| between mountainous piles Of bagged cof-
| fee back to the little square space at his
desk, where he slept most OF the time in
| his office chair That path. as one adj
vanced upon 1t, would seem to rise four or
| five inches and float in the air ahead of
| him, waving and shimlnering N the band
| Of sunshine that fell upon 1t from the open
| door. The effect was produced by a solid
mass Of fleas startled into activity. And.
/ by the way, they and the little blue-tailed
lizards were the only really active things
| ed to be. languid, reposefEl. either not yet
| fully walked up or just about drowsy
enough to drop off asleep-except those
| actually slumbering. as Senior Del Ollo gen.
| orally was. His ability to sleep among
| these fieas amazed me. Whether they hi,
| him and he was not aware Of 1t, or did no,
| bite him, 1 never could decide. His testi-
| mCny was no good. He simply knew moth
| ing about it. But 1t would be interesting
| to know, supposing they didn't bite him.
| whether ii was out of consideration for his
proprietary standing or because of the
| garlic with which he was saturated.
| Anyway, whatever may have restrained
| them from attacking him nothing protect
| ed me- The rapacious little devils would
| swarm up my legs, make their way into
| my sleeves, pour down inside my collar
| and riot over My body, tapping my rich
| ungar.icked northern blood in a thousand
| places at once. 1 believe that IL had worn
| a divers alright suit. helmet and ALL they
| would have found means for getting at me
| inside. OF course, 1 could do nothing blu,
make a rush for my room In the Hote
Leon Guairena, strip off my infested
| clothes, and take meager vengeance by
killing perhaps one in a thousand Of them
The others skipped out OF my reach and
| went to breeding more feas. In two OF
three hours my room was one of the best.
| stocked flea farms in the universe.
"A dozen different persons told me of 9
dozen different things wild herbs and for
est leaves. each and all of which repealed
f1eas. No flea, / was assured. would stay
a minute in a room where those thing.
were strewn about, and I believed the story
for 1 had proved in San Francisco tina
they could be driven away by the ba,
leaves l gathered over at Saucelito. So
hired couple of fellows who knew al
| those things to go and get them. The,
brought me about a cart load Of leaves ant
covered my floor three Inches deep will