Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1896-10-12
HIS NERVE WAS THERE,
This Sort of Centiped Was Harmless, bat
He Didn't Know It

This Sort of Centiped Was Harmlsaa, but
He Didn's Know IL.
The Hawaiian Islands are almost a.
well off as Ireland. st. Patrick drove
all the venomous insects and reptiles
out Of the Green Isle, but the Hawaiians
claim that the reptiles and insects left
on Mr.. Dole's domain are in NO sense OF
the word poisonous.
People who have particular dealings
with venomous insects imported from
the islands make the same CLAIM A To-
cal fruit importer said:
Very frequently we receive consigp-
ments Of bananas and pineapples pack
ed in dried grass and leavea In taking
the fruit from the boxes it is not uncom-
mon to find q big centiped crawling
along the stalk between the bananas,
doing his hest to get used to the Cali.
fornia climate
''One afternoon was opening q box
of bananas and pushed my hand through
the straw to get at the stalk. i felt
around for few seconds and thought
could feel something moving around on
the back Of my hand. had often heard
of the presence Of centipeds in fruit
shipments, SO carefully withdrew my
hand, SO as to make Us little commotion
as possible. Imagine my surprise and
alarm to see . five inch centiped slow
y crawling up my arm. was about 70
strike it when q fruit packer standing
near by warned me to make no attempt
to get rid of il. but to let it crawl of at
it's leisure. ! had forgotten the fact
that they were not poisonous, and know
got a. white as sheet. believing every
moment that il would sink its claws
into me and send its powerful poison
through my blood.
looked at it with fear and trem-
bling, but did not dare to move . mus
Gle It lifted its head and seemed per.
fectly satisfied to remain where il waA
could hardly restrain myself from
making quick motion and ehaking il
off, but my companion warned me again
and again to keep quiet. All could
feel was tickling sensation. The tic
king increased, and l was almost ready
to faint with suppressed excitement
Finally the centiped looked up ut my
sleeve and slowly made for it, moving
all the legs in unison. The sensation
by this time was unbearable. and fear.
ed would be unable to remain calm
until the thing got entirely of.
| MY flesh seemed to shrink away n
the horrible creature proceeded, but in
q few more seconds, every one of which
seemed an hour, it had settled itself com.
fortably ON the fabric of my clothing,
and with q motion quicker than l wa
ever known to make before I routed j,
with . stick and sat down. perspirins
from head to foot 1t was the moet
thrilling experience I ever figured in
and it made me sick the rest of the day
MY companion began to laugh a
though he would die of merriment, bu
l saw nothing particularly humorous il
the situation.
You are crazy he said, to ge
frightened over a little thing like that
Do you know that Hawaiian Island cen
tipeds are not poisonous? told you I,
keep quiet just to see how long you
nerve would last. II the thing had SUM
every claw it had into your flesh, j
would have only caused little swell
ing aud nothing more. have had sew
eral IF them strike me, and apply
little ammonia or salt water and cur
it up in half an hour. San Fran
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