Herald and tribune. [volume] (Jonesborough, Tenn.) 1869-current, 1897-01-20
AN AWFUL EXPERIENCE.
'""' Up In u Car With T%arntulas Strange
olOry on InmpS PhNnn of pnr knrahnrn

o"uV UP In II Car With Tanntulas- Strange
story of James Payne, of parkersburg.
st Joseph, Mo-, January lin a
ruiimah car ON the south bound Mis-.
souri, Pacific limited last night were
TWO passengers who attracted sympa.
thetic attention. The woman WAS
strikingly beautiful, while her com.
panion might have been either 30 or 60
years old. Sharp lines disfgured his
otherwise attI active features, and there
was a quick, nervous movement of the
head and hands that suggested palsy.
The mans name is James PAYNE,
and he is a resident of Parkesburg, w.
Va, where his family is we'll to do.
Two months ago he started for the
Pacific coast. On the train between
Green River and Pocatello his pockets
were picked. He was even unable to
telegraph home for money, and de-
termined to make his way through by
the box car route. On the second night
of his stay in Pocatello a west bound
special pulled in, in which were sew
eral fruit care. He climbed into one
and prepared to make himself as COM.
Portable as possible. He had scarcely
concealed himself before the door was
closed and sealed. The car proved to
have been loaded with bananas. He
composed himself to sleep.
When he awoke it was to find him.
self in darkness, with the train flying
along with terrific speed. He had been
aroused by something soft and y%elvety
creeping across his face. He struck a
match to see what had disturbed him.
To his horror he saw several large
tsrantulas.
Payne did not dare to strike another
match, and he knew that he was in
imminent peril of his life. To leap
from the door of the car meant certain
death. While these thoughts darted
through his mind a cold, hairy sub.
stance dashed itself in his face and he
tainted. How long he lay unconscious
he does not know, blu. when he again
came to life it was broad daylight and
the train was still speeding like the
wind. He tried the door only to find
it fastened and that he was doomed to
suffer hours longer the prospect of an
attack at any instant from the hideous
creatures whose character he knew 80
well. The struggling rays that pene
trated the cracks Of the door enabled
him to see dimly the objects about him,
and he recognized his v~isiotrs of the
night before and saw that their mum.
Der had been trebled. He looked about
for a loose hoard, and found a small
one, but he knew if he made an attack
the ta%rantulas would leap at him and
he could not ward them off.
His apprehension was increased when
he saw that they had engaged in a
fearful and deadly combat among
themselves. For hours he sat there
facing these dreadful creatures, who
neither advanced nor retreated. When
night came on again ne became uncon.
scious.
When next he knew what was going
on about him he was on a cot in a hos.
pital in Portland. He had been there q
month, and had gone through a well
nigh fatal attack Of brain fever. Mean.
time the authorities having discovered
his identity from his delirious talk had
telegraphed to his people and the
young woman he was to marry had
fastened to his bedside.
He had not been found until the car
was opened at its destination, when he
was unconscious and raving like a
maniac. A mark in his forehead in.
dictated that he had in reality been
bitten by a tarantula, probably when
he tainted the second time. AS soon
as he was able to travel he starred for
home by easy stages, first having mar
ried the devoted woman who had
joined him under peculiar circum.
stances.