The Anderson intelligencer. [volume] (Anderson Court House, S.C.) 1860-1914, 1896-08-26
9utIersua gmteIltgeueer,
The Centipede's Awful Clutch.

"Rattlesnakes, scorpions, tarantu.
las, gila monsters-they are all good
things to keep away FROM" said a
mining engineer recently returned
from the West, "but for all-around
hatefulness, they simply aren't in it
with centipede. No, they are not
necessarily fatal. No poisonous in
sects 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 thou
sand-legged worms which we call CEN
tipedes here. The genuine thing may
be anywhere from one to six inches
long. I killed two, eight inches in
length, but that is not common. Their
bodies consist of a lot of joints, some
thing like string of Aattened beads.
Each joint has two legs connected
with it, and in the ends of these lies
the poison. There are 19 joints, SO
that, although he hasn't a hundred
feet, as his name implies, he is 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 ones
body as one lies asleep. Scorpions
or any of the other creatures sting
only when they wish. to, and only in
self:defense; but with centipede it is
different.
"He may simply walk over one,
with each step making something over
three dozen footprints, and each OF
these will leave q running sore, around
which the flesh will finally slough of
"a horrible scar being the result. If
the creature is angered or startled
and it takes very little to annoy him
every claw is instantly driven deep
into the flesh, and the result is ten
times worse.
$50 far as speed of travelling goes,
the centipede would be lost in the
turn by many smaller insects; but in
this clinching speciality of his, I think
he must be the quickest creature that
lives.
"There was remarkable case in
point which took place during this
last trip of mine," continued the en-
gineer.
"We were camped somewhere near
the southern end of the line dividing
New Mexico from Arizona. It was
Just dawn when something woke me.
My instrument man and o rodman lay
on the opposite side of the little open
tent. The rodman was also awake
and was gazing silently, With an ex-
preston Of horror on his face, at the
bare chest of his companion. Then,
from under the arm of the sleeping
man, appeared the linked body of a
big centipede, fully six inches long.
1T went forward little way aud
stopped; then crawled leisurely on
again. There was nothing to do that
I could think of. A sudden move
ment, q sound, or even a shadow, would
at once cause the brute to fasten him
self.
"The warmth of the body seemed to
please him, and he stopped again.
Luckily the transitman never stirred.
The inaction was ghastly, and I saw
the rodman's hand gradually-very
gradually-move toward the saddle
which served as a pillow, disappearing
under it. Then it slowly emerged,
grasping heavy pistol, cooked. Al
ways with the same deliberation, the
muzzle was brought. to within a few
inches of the centipede; the barrel
carefully pointed SO that it would just
miss the mans breast, and the trigger
pulled. The sleeper awoke with a
scream, starting up and trying to
clutch at the place, but before he could
do so we had pinioned his hands and
forced him back. The centipede, ma
turally, was blown to dust, but between
the time that bullet left the pistol, two
inches away, and reached the end Of
his six-inch body, the creature had
found time to bury seven of his 38
legs.
awe never thought the injured man
would survive, but after weeks of de-
lirium, he began slowly to r. cover.
When the obstinate wound had heal
ed the scar was as though a red-hot
ladle had been laid across the mans
body; the path of the centipede form
ing the handle, and the bowl, q place
as large as ones hand, made by the
dying clinch. I'll take my scorpions
straig ght, if I have choice. No cent?
pedes in mine.-Detroit Free Press.