The morning times. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1895-1897, 1896-08-22
QUICK AS A SHOT.
A Westerns Man Experience with
the Lightning Centipede.

l -NtU LOFh htcOfNsF-
| Rattle snakes, scorpions. tarantulas,
| gla moDsters-they are all gccd things
| to keep away FROM" said mining engineer
| recently returned from the West, but
for all-rouDd hatefulness they simply aren't
| in it with centipede. No, they are not
| necessarily fatal. No poisoning insects
| are, Notwithstanding the stories one hears
to the contrary. But they are bad enough.
Did You ever see one? They are not pretty,
and they don't look in the least like these
thousand legged worms which We call
ceDupedes here. The genuine thing may be
anywhere from one to six inches long.
killed two. each eight inches In length,
but that is not common Their bodies
consist of lot of Joints something like a
string OF flattened beads Each joint las
two legs connected with It, and in the ends
| Of these lie the poison. There are nineteen
joints, so that, although he hasn't a
hundred feet. as his name implies. he il
still very well provided with them. Thirty
eight legs, and every leg sting, He can't
attack YOU from the ground of course
He doesn't have to, for it is at night when
there is the greatest danger from these
pests.
He is OF an investigating turn of mind,
and is fond of exploring when one lies
asleep Scorpions OF any of the other
creatures sting only when they wish to, and
ony wish to in self-defense but with a
centipede it is different.
''Iie may simply walk over me, with each
step, making something over three dozen
footprints, and each of these will leave a
running sore, around which the flesh VIII
finally slough off, horrible scar being the
result IL the creature is angered or
startled-and it takes very little TO annoy
hini-every claw is instantly driven deep
into the flesh, and the result is ten times
worse.
80 far Us speed of travelling goes. the
centipede would be lost in the turn by
many smaller insects; but in this clinching
speciality OF his 1 think he must De the
quickest creature that lives.
There was a remarkable case In point
which took place during this last trip OF
mine" continued the engineer.
We were camped somewhere near the
southern end of the line dividing New
Mexico from Arizona. 1t was just dawn
when something awokeme Myinstrument
man and rodmanlny on the opposite side
OF the little open tent. The rodman was
also awake. and was gazing silently. with
an expression of horror on his face at the
bare chest OF his companion. Then from
under the arm OF the sleeping man ap-
peared the linked body OF n big centipede
fully six inches long.
1T went forward a little way and
stopped: then era awled leisurely on again.
There was nothing to do that could think
OF. A sudden movement n sound, or evena
shadow. would at once cause the brute to
fnstcn himself.
The warmth of the body seemed to nIease
him, and lie stopped again. Luckily the
transitman never stirred. The inaction was
ghasuy, and I saw the rohman's hand
gradually-very gradually-move toward
the saddle. which served him as a pillow,
disa appearing under IL. Then it slowly
emerged, grasping heavy pistol. cooked.
Always with the same deiiberation, the
muzzie was brought to within a few inches
OF the centipede. the barrel carefully point
ed so that it would just miss tire mans
breast. and the trigger pulled. TIE sleeper
awoke with scream, starting up and trying
to clutch at the place, but before he could
do so we had pinioned his lands and forced
him back. The centipede. naturally. was
blown TO dust, but between the time that
bullet left the pistol. two inches away, and
reached the end OF his sx-inch body. the
creature had found time to bury seven Of
his thirty-eight legs.
''wc never thought the in iured man would
survive, but after weeks OF deIirium he
began slowly to recover. When the obsti-
nate wound had healed the scar was az
though a red-hot iadlc had been laid across
the mans body: the path OF the centipesie
the handle. and the bowl, place
as large as ones hand. made by the dying
rsinch. III take my scorpions straight. RI
have choice. No centipedes in minc.''