Weekly independent. [volume] (Elko, Nev.) 1887-1914, 1897-05-23
A NIGHT OF HORROR.
Penned Up with Tarantulas In q
Banana-Laden Gar.
A Travellers Dreadful Experience Land
Him In n HosPital-Comfortcd an"
Taken Home by u Devoted
.. Sweetheart.

Occupying n stateroom in n Pullman
tar on the south-bound Missouri Ia
citic limited recently were two pas
Sengcrs VINO attracted tho sympathetic
attention, both of the ~trainincn anu
their fchow-passcngers. The lady hnd
evidently not yet reached the agc CT
two score years. and was striliingi?
beautiful, while her companion. upon
whom She lavishcd a wifc's tcndcrly
devotion, might have been either 80 OF
"a years old. il one was to judge from
his face. upon which we're mingled in
, iications Of youth aud extreme *
that were at once crplcNing and mysti-
wing.
His name is James Payne, and he is
! resident of Pnrkcrsburg, w. Va.
where his family is wcll-to-do and
highly respected. Two months ago he
tarirI for the Pacific coast, intending
'uvc'tirltc the business opportuni-
'cs or that region, with a view To get
- marrrd and locating there. lie
ugChasrd n ticket To Seattle. and he
80 well supplied with money antici-
"tcd an enjoyable trip and n speedy
'"tGrn TO his sweetheart.
ON the train between Green river and
.'ocatcllo his pockets were picked. ana
t"rcy, ticket and everything taken.
:" was even unable TO telegraph HON"
o" moncy. having no money. and dc.
rrm;uCl to make his way through by
the bnN-"ur route. On the second night
II his stay in Pocatcllo a wcst-bound
"pccial pulled in, in which were several
fruit ears. Congratulating himself
Lat he E!irht now speedily reach his
Destination, u" climbed into one Of
!hcsc cars through an open end door.
md prepared To make himself rs COM
,"rtablc aS possible. He hal scarcely
"nnccrL't himself before the door,
"hiCh !; appears had been broken orcn
by trauSls, was closed and sealed, but
;h;s did not ut the time occasion any
.'r'oms alarm on his part. The car
7rovclto ha'chccnl loaded withbananns.
to some Of which he wns glad Ia help
himself. being very hungry. and argl.
n. that IL WAS no crime for - man H.
his pred camcnt. lie then CONFESSED
himself To sleep. These fruit special
generally run under n CO-Tnilc order.
rs this one proved to he doing. and
when the passenger awokc with "A star.
i few hours later il was to find himself
in Egyptian darkness, with the train
flying along with n terrific speed. He
had been aroused from his sleep bv
something having n soft. ~vclyciv touch
creeping stcIlthily across his face, nni
struck II match tn see what had dis
tmrbcd him. To his horror he saw acv-
rrnl large tarantulas. which. in his en-
cited imagination. assumed the proper
tions of ordinary land turtles. Startled
Ivy the light, they scurricd nwny while
his blood ran cold and his limbs were
almost paralyzed as the flickcring
match died out and he realized the no
Sition in which he WAS placed.
Young Payne did not dare to strike
another match. even II his trembling
hands would have performed thai
service, hut he knew that he was in tn,
most imminent peril Of his life. TO
leap from rIc door OF the car mean
certain death, and the probability OF
his fate remaining forever n mystery
Ia the loved ones at home. While these
thoughts dnrtcd through his mind "a
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 ne again cntnc 80
life il was brond daylight, and the train
still speeding like the wind. He tried
the door. md almost fnintcd when hc
found that IL was fastcncd. and that
he was doomed to suffer hours longer
the prospect OF an attack NJ m instant
from the hideous creatures, whose
character he knew so well. The straE-
Cling rays that penetrated the cracks
Of the door enabled him to see dimiy
the objects about him. and the Coll
preparation broke nut tn his forehead
ms he recognized his visitors of the
| night before, and saw that their NUN.
her had been trchlc1. He looked about
for a loose board. and found u smnII one.
but knew IL nc was attacked III,
tGrantulns would leap at him. and thai
he could not ward them of. Ills ap.
prchcnsion was increased when he saw
that they had engaged in one Of those
fearful deadly combats anon 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 ms the horse race and
the bull fight. For hours he sat there.
facing these dreadful crcnturcs. who
neither advanced MOI rctrcatcd. Then
night came on, and again hc was mcrci.
fully rendered unconscious.
When next hc knew what wnx rpiur
OIL about him he was on "a cot in n hos
pitnl in Portland. lie had been there u
month, and hal gone through a well.
nigh fatal attack Of brain fever. Mean.
time tho authorities. having Gi:,oY.
cred his identity from his do rinu,
talk. had tclcgraphcd 10 his icrrl,
md the young woman lie was to ,rnrr,
had FASTENED 10 his bedside. lie h.I
not been found until the cnr was Opened
=, its destination. when he was VI cct
icious and raving Exc n maniac. 4
mark in his forehead indicated tha, A..
had In reality been bitten hv a ,arAr,u.
In. probably when he tainted tho SEQ.
"nd time. As soon as he wns .,bic TO
'rhrcl he started for home by easy
Stages. first having married the hand.
some and devoted woman who Ind
,oincd him under such peculiar cir.
cnmstnnccs. His physician says that he
VIII in time recover his health nll
strength. although he will never r.f
over the effects Of his awful c]ucnrrtrr