The times., 1899-05-07
THE DEMON SPONGE.

New York spoke up.
II saw Al Johnson in Brooklyn" he said,
'just before he sailed for Europe, and had
quite a chat with him. We stirred up
Cleveland "reminiscences, and recalled n.u-
tual acquaintances, and revived old stories,
and had jolly hour of it. And l asked AL
about the Demon Sponge, Stuff and nom
sensel' he cried, and changed the subject.
Did you fellows ever hear of the Demon
Sponge?''
They all shook their heads.
That's very strange" he said. ITS an
old story. Must have happened a dozen
years ago. And you are sure you never
heard it?" -
They were all quite sure, and one of
them remarked that he'd like to near it,
and the others echoed the request
"All right, boys said the narrator, and
he puffed thoughtfully on his cigar. Its
an uncanny tale, but if you want it, here
goes II began when that famous trio,
Johnson, Beeman, and Grover, were in
London on their noted pilgrimage abroad.
AS the story goes, Al was one day ramb-
ling along the London docks, taking in
the marvellous cosmopolitan scene, when
out oil the CTUWu Oi VI al ldNiohS
slender Lascar stepped. He approach
ed AL with outstretched hand. 1t was a
brown and skinny hand, and AL saw that
something lay within the palm. 1t was a
diminutive ear-shaped sponge, of fine tex
ture, and perhaps two inches in length.
The Lascar pointed to this sponge with
a hooked finger. His deep set eyes
sparkied.
- You buy, eh?' he said to Al. Mos
great Mos-ah, you buy?' And he
thrust his treasure nearer.
What is ito asked Al.
"'Nuthin LAX eet,' said the Lascar Gag
erly. Me fin So great And he made a
sweeping gesture with his disengaged hand.
'Al was amused by the Lascar's excited
air. He thrust his hand in his pocket and
drew forth several silver coins. He ten
dered them to the Lascar, who showed his
white teeth, handed over the sponge, and
bowed his way backward into the varie-
gated crowd. Perhaps AL is mistaken, but
he thinks ne heard the fellow chuck!e as
he backed away.
well, my friend dropped the pear
shaped sponge in the side pocket of his
coat and thought no more about it. And
here the story grows a little misty.
Whether the balance of the adventure hap
pened to All himself, or to somebody to
whom he gave the sponge or the coat,
doesn't seem clear. Anyway, it isn't a
material point. If AL gave it to somebody.
| that somebody drew ii TO light one day
when he was about TO take a bath. No
doubt he looked at ii curiously and vague
ly wondered wherein it differed from the
ordinary sponge of commerce. II was a
sponge OF very fine texture. and that was
really all its owner could say for it. AS
/ have stated, ne had been on the point OF
ia m hot ykrhn ha hoo " yir,sy
his pockets. and he now walked into the
bathroom, and tossing the little Lascar
| memento into the tub, turned on the hot
water. Then he hurried back to his room,
| rapidly removed his garments. drew on his
| bath robe and again sought the bathroom.
| Having locked the door he turned to the
| tub.
1T was a small bathroom, perhaps
twelve feet by seven, with a square win
| dow opposite the door. Beneath the win
! dow was furnace register. 1t was late
| in the fall and there was a brisk fire in
the furnace, but the register at the bath
room was tightly closed.
THE hot water was falling in the tub
| and the bather turned to see whether the
| proper quantity had been reached. As he
| looked he started back with a sharp ejacu-
lation.
Something was rising from the tub.
1t WAS the LdsCdT SpOHSt, pul uUN
| changed He took a step nearer. The
pear shaped reminder of those London
| docks had swelled TO the size of a halt
| bushel measure and was still expanding,
| 1t lay quiyering on the surface of the
water, swaying slightly from time tc
| time. and drinking in the falling liquid
| with queer sucking sound. The diminu-
| tive orifices of the original sponge had in.
creased to great holes, that opened and
| shut like cayernous eyes.
The bather, as he stared spellbound by
| the sight, fancied they were like the eyes
| of some pulpy monster OF forgotten age
And still the thing swelled. and spread
| and arose above the tub. AS 1t enlarged
| IL seemed to be reaching out for places
| of support, and it swayed to and fro, ant
| from side 10 side, till the bather thought
| of the struggles of a captive balloon. Anc
| still the great eyes winked, and the thlne
| sucked, and gurgled, and wheezed.
The bather is brave man and not eas
| ily thrown from his balance. But when hi
saw that pale yellow nightmare, swayint
and winking and gurgllng, cold chill ran
down his spine. He stared at 1t, and i
actually seemed to mesmerize him. Ht
noticed that it had drawn up nearly al
| the water in the tub, and that it steadil!
| absorbed the falling stream. AS he tremu
| lously watched 1t he thought OF all INT
grewsome vegetable forms of which he hat
| read. There was the man eating tree, ant
| the balloon palm, and the octopean cactus
and the laughing plant and the vampire
vine. He had laughed at these stories. ant
| SET them down as the work of clever liter
arv fakirs And yet here before him wa:
| something that seemed quite as wonderful
| Was IL a nightmare? He rubbed his eyes
| No the thing was still there.
.From that moment his thoughts wer,
all on the Demon Sponge. After the hrs
shiver was over he no longer felt afraid o
IL. He regarded it with more curiosity. l
he had had his wife about him he would
have turned off the flowing faucet. Bu
he never thought of this.
THE sponge rose higher and higher ant
| spread over the side of the tub 1t wa:
! half way to the ceiling now and its vel
| lowish bulk rested on the floor. 1t wa!
pushing its way toward the door; it wa:
pushing its way toward him.
When he looked around 1t was pilint
| itself across the threshold. When HI
glanced upward it was almost to the cell
| ing. 1t swayed more violently now, lung
ing forward with billowy motion, and 1t
| gurglngs had increased to a low roar
| The watcher duly calculated that at 1t
| present rate OF expansion it would fill th
| entire room within five minutes at TIT
| outside Already the air seemed TO b.
| getting close and humid, and he breathet
with more and more difficulty Added t.
| this the great sponge gave off sweet
sickish odor that was stupefying.
Suddenly 1t seemed to spring up ant
| bulge outward, and the sound Of the foy
of water from the faucet came to him dis
tinctly again. The sponge was gorged. l
had lifted itself clear of the running
stream, but it was still swelling.
| IAN at once it heayed against him, a
the light from the window was darkene,