The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1909-04-29

be ran into inc arms o: his uncle. Old
ysmcs Hc.niman--- o.stiandish nEu.e
with an enormous hat. green umbrella
- - aud spcctac'es trimmed with tortoiss
shell, -
from" Keith had not seen h:s eccent-ic relative
1--WE just landed from Java. my boy" Horni-
maE beamed through his archaic spectacles.
'The trip has cost fortune But I'd have gone
on. into bankruptcy. i aeed BE- to GET what Ivo
what have yor sot7'' Keith queried.
casting another cautious glance 1T the waitress
he drew forth . la-gish ohlong box with glasa
"a. H put Y on the table reverent'y ''Loof in
iarly notable. A rather thick sheet Of some nlmy
across tho interior Of the box from side to the
Other II ressmbled SPIDERS web. but thicker
ca.on.y cssnsed ,ride.csnsly ike pale shot .iIS
creature q some sort came from beneath, It. ind
albert nut: and in fact Realistically nutlike in
IL genera! aspec,. had It not been for its long
SPIDER, ss .aked They loo. wei weird beasts.
Weird isn't the word. !" said his uncle mo nat
carxw ave, Of course We knew Of their existence
Thar webs are found in millions in Java; But tho
little % could never th De
bus In the open they move like lightning. They've
gone before they've got there" He chuckled and
whats the spider called" asked Keith.
!. 1T isn't called anything in English yet. but it
:.what does the Horniman Spider eat!"
blood to suck. The web il 20 tough that It can
snare bird in it-and the bird IL shriveled skin
with nothing but bones inside. two minutes after
Nasty beasts" said Keith.
NASTY! Not At ALL" His uncle smiled indulg-
lowed to breed without check You've heard about
the feeundity OF insects. dare say! The Horni-
Horninan lays thirty thousand female eggs a
month and the EGGS hatch in twenty-four hours.
another thirty thousand. and tell me what would
happen Ia nix months II even one spider started to
lure sss provided for the possible deetion Of Java
BY plague Of Hornimans. There's bird theTe.
q IL
tnack Of catching Hornimans. and digesting them
when caught; and it, wings are 20 strong that it
san break through yards of web. Hammerbills are
- common In Java as sparrows in England-other-
wise Java would be in bad way. ! brought a
he voyage i've preserved ito skin. though and
I'll show It you some day: and your be aston
81 the muscles OF it, wings"
Keith was not much interested Didn't you
to feed 9nl,e these
mo. gave It meat. Hammerbills VIII take
bits Of dried meat II they cant get their usual
spider to be had
Keith glanced 1t his watch. I'm afraid must
are you dom! si lose e the he SPIDERS :
Work 1t the Morning News once had been irk-
ome, and Keith often cast longing glance at the
lock whose fingers crawled 30 slowly toward mid
light. He therefore Eroaned audibly when mes
Mge came up from the editors room to say that he
vas wanted below To be wanted" generally
meant an overtime job.
..You know old Horniman, the naturalist" asked
he editor. ~ Keith entered his room.
"He's my uncle
Indeed! I've bad news for you, then. He was
un over and killed In Knightsbridge this afternoon
lbout nve o'clock. They didn't identify him at
lfrt 10 the story Of his death has only just
reached u.s."