124 OBSERVATIONS OF A RANCHWOMAN 



make my store-room his home. I have no 

 doubt that some people might find both in- 

 struction and amusement in this association. 

 I experience neither ; I endure. Lizards and 

 horned frogs abound. The latter are amusing 

 little beasts. They seem to like having their 

 backs scratched with a stick, and, if too rudely 

 accosted, prove themselves to be past-masters 

 in the art of simulating death. Once I met 

 a tarantula at my front-door, but only once. 

 He is dead now. He was a terrific beast, 

 and I am free to own that my spirit quailed 

 within me. I will not attempt to say how 

 large he was, for I should promptly be accused 

 of exaggeration ; though to exaggerate the 

 size of these nightmares of spiders would 

 really seem to be impossible. Certain learned 

 Eastern professors claim that the bite of 

 neither tarantula nor centipede another oc- 

 casional guest with us is harmful. That is 

 as it may be. No Texan could be found to 

 agree to this verdict, although it is generally 

 acknowledged that the Texas variety of both 

 beasts is considerably more virulent than the 

 variety living in New Mexico. 



Lovely and beloved as all our seasons are 



