Democratic messenger. [volume] (Snow Hill, Md.) 1869-1973, 1903-11-07

THE BED WAS ALIVE WITH TARANTULAS
lcctual. She is tall and willowy, after
the fashion of the Gibson girl. Her
waving hair, in which the sunbeams
seem to linger and radate, is pure gold
and makes Il gorgeous frame for her
lovely. expressive face. Her complex
ion. with its pink and cream and dim
pies. would be the envy of a baby, but
try as she will to be courageous and
Indifferent. the color dies from her
cheeks and the dimples cease to play
when she relates the horrors of that
night.
Il had telegraphed the fact of my
coming to my friends" she said. '"They
Were ut the station to meet me. l ar
rived late in the evening, was very
, tired after my long journey across the
continent. and after a very short chat
in the library my hostess took me to
! the spare room on the second floor.
81 lost no time in getting to bed and
in short time was sound asleep. AS
| the NIGHT progressed l became restless.
| Once it seemed that something dropped
| on my forehead. but when put up my
hand | felt nothing. | slipped off into
| a troubled dozc, but was awakened by
something running across my hand,
which was lying outside the coverlet.
A sort of terror stricken nervousness
swept over me.
"FThc night was inky black-so black
l could moi discern any object in the
room. I IMAGINED l could hear sounds
dim, strange and intangible. When l
was :;"ttin" ready for bed l had no.
ticcd IL banjo in Il corner of the room.
and now | heard Il faint tinkling as of
sonnet bin" creeping. over the strings.
Il felt rs if must have light or
lie. ! crei't out of bed and CROPPED
about in the darkness for the electric
burner. When / found it and turned
the screw no light came. The works
were out of order. Something cold and
fuzzy ran across my bare feet. With a
moan of terror jumped into bed and
pulled the covers close about me-"
''Ifut why didn't you call the folks in
the house" asked the listener.
Il did cry out several times. but as
my room was far separated from the
Other s'eern" apartments no one heard
no one came Oh. the hideousness of
that night! ! covered my head with
tie hedclothes.
"Rnt l couldp't breathe very we'll, so
] threw the covers back again. AS l
did so a great. bliStling, fuzzy thing,
with hairs that pricked and feet that
ching to my flesh. crept over my face
I struck at it wildly and sent it flying
will, such momentum that it hit against
the opposite wall with Il mushy thud.
then dropped to the floor.
81. fter that fell into dream tor
turcd sleep and did not awake until the
sunlight was streaming through the
dainty lace curtains that shielded the
windows. \ dim memory of awful
dreams came to me. but felt so drow-
sy and so tired. capped and stretched
my arms. hut rs | let them drop my
hands came in contact with things soft
and hairy that writhcd and struggled
under my palms.
"IIorriiied. I caught at the ironwork
Of the hcadboard. sat up. The white
COunterpane was covered with immense
black tArantulaS. some of which were
standing on their launches bristling
with wrath, probably because of my
quick movements. They were not only
on the bed. but they were crawling up
the curtains, while the carpet was dot
ted with the awkward, sprawling, VEN
omous things, many of which covered
a space as large as Il mans hand. The
room was a regular Dante's Inferno
as far as horrors were concerned.
screamed in terror"
The screams of the terrified girl
brought the household quickly, for it