The citizen. (Frederick City, Md.) 1895-1923, 1896-09-11
HIS NERVE WAS THEPE.
This Sort of Centipede Was Harmless
Bot He Didn't Know 1t.

This Sort of Centipede was k1RrLnAooo
But He Didn't Know 1t.
The Hawaiian islands are almost az
we'll of as Ireland. ST. Patrick drove all
the venomous insects and reptiles out
of the green isle, but the Bawaiians
claim that the reptiles and insects left
on Mr.. Dole's domain are in DO sense OF
the word poisonous.
People who have particular dealings
with yenomous insects imported from
the islands make the same claim A
local fruit importer said recently:
every frequently we receive consien-
ments of bananas and pineapples packed
in dry grass and leaves. In taking the
fruit from the boxes it is not uncommon
to find big centipede crawling along
the stalk between the bananas, dong
his best to get used TO the California
climate.
1.-The other afternoon I was opening
box of bananas and pushed my hand
through the straw TO get at the stalk.
| felt around for a few seconds and
thought / could feel something moving
around On the back o my hand. had
often heard of the presence OF cent?
pedes in fruit shipments. so l carefully
withdrew my hand, 50 as to make as
little commotion as possible. Imagine
nv surprise and alarm to see five-inch
centipede slowly crawling up my arm.
l was about to strike it when fruit
packer, standing near by, warned me to
make no attempt to get ridof it, but to
let it crawl off at its leisure. had for
gotten the fact that they were not roi-
sonous. and know / got as white a.
sheet, believing every moment that II
would sink its claws into me and send
it's powerful poison through my blood.
"I looked al il with fear and trem-
bling, but did not dare to move muscle.
1t lifted its head and seemed perfectly
satisfied 10 remain where il was.
could hardly restrain myself from max
ing quick motion and shaking it of.
but nv companion warned me again
and again to keep quiet. All l could
feel was a tickling sensation The
tickling increased. and 1 was almost
ready to faint with suppressed excite
nent- Finally the centipede looked up
at my sleeve and slowly made for II,
moving all the legs in unison. The SEN
sation BIZ this time was unbearable and
l feared that l would be unable TO re-
main calm until the thing got entirely
off. Nv flesh seemed to shrink away
as the horrible creature proceeded, hut
in a few more seconds, every one of
which seemed an hour, ii had settled IL
sell comfortably on the fabric of ny
clothing, and with a motion quicker
than l was ever known to make before
I routed IL with a stick and sat down,
perspiring from head to foot 1t was
the most thrilling experience I ever fig
ured in. and 1t made me sick the rest OF
the day.
MY companion began to laugh as
though he would die of merriment, but
1 saw nothing particularly humorous
in the situation.
"'You are crazy he said. to get
frightened over a little thing like that.
Do you not I:now that Hawaiian cent?
pedes arc not poisonous? 1 told you 10
keep quiet just 10 see how long Jour
nerves would last If the thing had
sunk every claw into your flesh ii would
have caused only little swelling and
nothing more. I have had several OF
them strike me. and apply little am
monia or salt water, and cure it I'D in
half an hour San Francisco Call.