Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1928-07-10
WORLD FAMOUS STORIES
THE OCTOPUS
THE OCTOPUS.
BY VICTOR HUGO.

fvietor Hugo. lso2-isss, was French
known work is probably Les Miserabies.
HIS name is one of the most outstanding in
To believe that such q creature as
the octopus exists you must have seen
one with your own eyes. Compared
with this monStrous animal the hydras
and dragons of olden times are ridicu-
lous
The whale is big, but the octopus is
small The hippopotanus has heavy
armored shield Of skin, but the octopus
Is unprotected. The venomous South
American serpent (lararaca) Kisses, but
the octopus makes no noise. The rhi-
noceros Is horned, but the octopus has
no such weapon. The scorpion has q
powerful sting, but the octopus has
none. The ape has clever tail, but
the octopus has no tail whatever. The
shark has sharp fms, but the octopus
has no fins at all. The porcupine has
bartec quilts, but the octopus has no
such protection. A vampire bat has
wings. sometimes harbed; but the octo-
pus has not even wings. The viper
has venom, but the octopus has no
venom. The lion has claws. but the
octopus has no claws of any kind. The
hawk has beak, but the octopus has
no beak. The crocodile has mighty
jaws, but the octopus has not even
teeth.
The octopus Is without muscular CO.
ordination: it has no threatening cry;
It has no shield. no weapon, no power
Of crushing or squeezing with TAN or
any such organ; no poison. OF all
creatures. however, the octopus is the
most terrible. What makes it so? Let
US see
A grayish form undulates through
the water, It is perhaps as thick as a
mans arm. and about half as long. IT
looks like a rag; In form it is like a
closed umbrella without handle. This
piece Of rag approaches you gradually.
then suddenly opens. Eight arms or
radii spread out abruptly around face
which is set with two eyes. These
arms are alive. There is something OF
merry fame In their motion. The whole
thing Is like wheel-stretched out il
Is four OK five feet in diameter
Fr1ghtful expansion. This filings it.
self upon you. While the hydra may be
said to harpoon its victim, this creature
applies itself TO its prey and covers II
and knots its long arms about 1t. IN
derneath the color of 1t is yellowish
on top the color Of earth. Nothing can
represent its queer hue Of dust--it
might be a creature made of ashes, yet
living in the water. It Is like a spider
IN form, and ike chameleon in color
When trTitated Or angered IL turns TO
violet. It's most terrible quality is a
great softness.
II strangles with its folds. Contact
with II paralyzes one II looks as though
II was afflicted with both gcurvy and
gangrene. II is a disease embodied in
a monster II cannot be torn away. II
acheres closely 10 its victim, sticking
like glue
How? By vacuum. It's eight arms
large at The root or near the head, taper
away gradually and end in needle like
tips. Underneath each of these arms
are two rows Of pugtuies or suckers
largest near the head, and smallest neal
The tips Each row has IS suckers
making so 10 each arm, so that ths
whole creature has 400 Of them Thi
suckers are round. horny, Iivid piece
Of flesh On the large species the,
diminish from the diameter Of larg.
cCln 70 the Size Of a seed
These fragments Of tubes are thrus
out from the animal and they can b
drawn back into it at Will They cal
be- pushed into victim for more thai
III inch. This terrible sucking apparatu
has all the fine coordination Of a key
board. II rises ard retreats--it obey
the slightest wish Of the monster Thi
dragon il like a sensitive plant.
English sailors call the octopus