Daily camera., 1897-02-11
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
Penned Up with Tarantulas in a
Banana-Laden Car.
"A Travellers Dreadful Experience Lands
Him In a Hospital-Comforted and
Taken Home by Devoted
Sweetheart.

attention, both of the trainmen and
their fehow-passengers. The lady had
evidently not yet reached the age Of
two score years. and was strikingly
beautiful, while her companion, upon
whom she lavished q wife's tenderly
devotion, might have been either 30 or
30 years old, if one was to judge from
his face, upon which were mingled in
dications of youth and extreme age
that were at once perDlexing and mysti-
tying.
His pane is James Payne, and he is
resident of Parkersburg, W. Va,
where his family is well-to-do and
highly respected. Two months ago he
started for the Pacific coast, intending
to investigate the business opportuni-
ties of that region, with a view to get
ting married and locating there. He
purchased a ticket to Seattle, and be-
ing well supplied with money antici-
pated an enjoyable trip and speedy
return to his sweetheart
On the train between Green river and
Pocatello his pockets were picked, ana
money, ticket and everything taken.
He was even unable to telegraph home
for money, having no money, and de-
termined to make his way through by
the boX-car route. On the second night
Of his stay in Pocatello west-bound
special pulled in, in which were several
fruit cars. Congratulating himself
that he might now speedily reach his
destination, he climbed into one of
these cars through an open end door,
and prepared to make himself as com
Portable as possible. He had scarcely
concealed himself before the door,
which it appears had been broken open
by tramDs, was closed and sealed, but
this did not at the time occasion any
serious alarm on his part. The car
proved to have been loaded with bananas,
10 some of which he was glad to help
himself, BEING very hungry, and argu-
ing that it was no crime for a man in
his predicament. He then composed
himself to sleep. These fruit specials
generally run under a 6O-mile order,
as this one proved to be doing, and
when the passenger awoke with a start
a few hours later it was to find himself
in Egyptian darkness, with the train
flying along with a terrific speed He
had been aroused from his sleep by
something having a soft. velvety touch
creeping stealthly across his face, and
struck match to see what had dis
tlIrbed him To his horror he saw sev-
eral large tarantulas, which, in his eN-
cited imagination, assumed the proper
tions of ordinary land turtles. Startled
by the light, they scurried away while
his blood ran cold and his limbs were
almost paralyzed as the Pickering
match died out and he realized the po-
sition in which he was placed.
Young Payne did not dare to strike
another match, even if his trembling
hands would have performed that
service, but he knew that he was in the
most imminent peril of his life. To
leap from The door of the car meant
certain death, and the probability of
his fate remaining forever a mystery
to the loved ones at home. While these
thou,-'lts darted through his mind
cold hairy substance dashed itself in
his face, and thinking his time had
come he tainted.
How long he lay unconscious he does
not know, but when he again came to
life it was broad daylight, and the train
stin speeding like the wind. He tried
the door, and almost tainted when he
found that it was fastened, and that
he wassdoomed to suffer hours longer
the prospect of an attack at any instant
from the hideous creatures, whose
character he knew so well. The strag-
Cling rays that penetrated the cracks
of the door enabled him to see dimly
the objects about him, and the cold
perspiration broke out en- his forehead
as he recognized his visitors of the
night before, and saw that their num-
her had been trebled. He looked about
for a loose board, and found a small one.
but knew if he was attacked the
tarantulas would leap at him, and that
he could not ward them off. His ap-
prehension was increased when he saw
that they had engaged in one of those
fearful deadly combats among them
selves for which they are so well known
in the south, and by which they fur
nish to the natives about the same class
of amusement as the horse race and
the bull fight. For hours he sat there,
facing these dreadful creatures, who
neither advanced nor retreated. Then
night came on, and again he was merci-
fully rendered unconscious.
When next he knew what was going
on about him he was on a cot in hos
pital in Portland. He had been there
month, and had gone through we'll
nigh fatal attack of brain fever. Mean
time the authorities, having discov-
cred his identity from his delirious
talk, had telegraphed to his people,
and the young woman he was to marry
had hastened to his bedside. He had
not been found until the car was opened
at it's destination, when he was uncon-
scious and raving Ike maniac. A
mark in his forehead indicated that he
L ii h,- 10,