by Edgar Allan Poe

What ho ! what ho ! this fellow is dancing mad !

He hath been bitten Tarantula

--All Wrong

MANY , I contracted an intimacy with Mr William Legrand of an ancient Huguenot family, and had once been wealthy; but series of misfortunes had reduced him to want To avoid the mortification consequent upon his disasters, he left New Orleans, the city forefathers, and took up his residence at Sullivan's Island, near Charleston, South Carolina This Island is very singular one It consists of little else sea sand, about three miles long Its breadth at no point exceeds quarter of mile separated main land by scarcely perceptible creek, oozing its way through wilderness of reeds and slime, favorite resort marsh hen The vegetation, as supposed, is scant, or dwarfish No trees of any magnitude are seen Near the western extremity, where Fort Moultrie stands, and where are some miserable frame buildings, tenanted, during summer, fugitives from Charleston dust and fever, found, indeed, the bristly palmetto; but the whole island, exception western point, and line of hard, white beach seacoast, is covered with dense undergrowth sweet myrtle, prized horticulturists of England The shrub here often attains the height of fifteen or twenty feet, and forms an almost impenetrable coppice, burthening the air with its fragrance

inmost recesses coppice, not far eastern or more remote end island, Legrand had built himself small hut, which he occupied when I first, by mere accident, made his acquaintance This soon ripened into friendship - for much recluse to excite interest and esteem him well educated, with unusual powers of mind, but infected with misanthropy, and subject to perverse moods of alternate enthusiasm and melancholy He had many books, but rarely employed them His chief amusements were gunning and fishing, or sauntering along the beach and myrtles, in quest of shells or entomological specimens; - his collection latter envied by Swammerdamm excursions usually accompanied by an old negro, called Jupiter, who manumitted reverses family, but induced, neither by threats nor by promises, to abandon what he considered his right of attendance footsteps young "Massa Will " improbable relatives of Legrand, conceiving him somewhat unsettled in intellect, had contrived to instil this obstinacy into Jupiter, with view supervision and guardianship wanderer

The winters latitude of Sullivan's Island are seldom very severe, and fall year rare event indeed when fire is considered necessary middle of October, 18-, there occurred, however, day of remarkable chilliness Just before sunset I scrambled my way evergreens hut friend, whom I visited for several weeks - my residence being, , in Charleston, distance of nine miles Island, while the facilities of passage and re-passage were very far behind those present day Upon reaching the hut I rapped, as was my custom, and getting no reply, sought key where secreted, unlocked the door and went in fine fire was blazing hearth novelty, and by no means an ungrateful one I threw off an overcoat, took an arm-chair crackling logs, and awaited patiently the arrival hosts

Soon after dark they arrived, and most cordial welcome Jupiter, grinning from ear to ear, bustled about some marsh-hens for supper Legrand was in one fits - how else shall I term them ? - of enthusiasm He had found an unknown bivalve, forming new genus, and, more than this, he had hunted down and secured, with Jupiter's assistance, scarabus which he believed totally new, but in respect my opinion morrow

"And to-night ? " I asked, rubbing my hands over the blaze, and wishing the whole tribe of scarabi devil

"Ah, if I had only known you were here ! " said Legrand, "but it's since you; and how could I foresee that pay me visit this very night of all others ? As coming home I met Lieutenant G--, fort, and, very foolishly, I lent him the bug; so impossible it until the morning Stay here to-night, send Jup down at sunrise loveliest thing in creation ! "

"What ? - sunrise ? "

"Nonsense ! no ! - the bug of brilliant gold color - size of large hickory-nut - with two jet black spots near one extremity back, and another, somewhat longer, other The antenn are - "

"Dey aint no tin in him, Massa Will, I keep tellin on you," here interrupted Jupiter; "de bug is goole bug, solid, ebery bit of him, inside and all, sep him wing - neber feel half so hebby bug in my life "

"Well, suppose , Jup," replied Legrand, somewhat more earnestly, it seemed , case demanded, " any reason for your letting the birds burn ? The color" - here he turned - "is really almost enough to warrant Jupiter's idea You never saw more brilliant metallic lustre scales emit - but judge till tomorrow mean time some idea shape " Saying this, he seated himself at small table, were pen and ink, but no paper He looked for some in drawer, but found none

"Never mind," said he , " answer;" and he drew waistcoat pocket scrap of what very dirty foolscap, and made upon it rough drawing pen While this, I retained my seat fire, for still chilly design was complete, he handed it without rising As I received it, loud growl was heard, succeeded by scratching door Jupiter opened it, and large Newfoundland, belonging to Legrand, rushed in, leaped upon my shoulders, and loaded me with caresses; for I had shown him much attention during previous visits When his gambols were over, I looked paper, and, the truth, found myself not little puzzled at what my friend had depicted

"Well ! " , after contemplating it for some minutes, " strange scarabus, confess: new : never saw anything like it before - unless skull, or death's-head - which it more nearly resembles than anything else that under my observation "

"A death's-head ! " echoed Legrand -"Oh - yes - well, it has something appearance upon paper, The two upper black spots look like eyes, eh ? longer one bottom like mouth - and then the shape whole is oval "

"Perhaps so," said I; "but, Legrand, no artist wait until the beetle itself, if any idea personal appearance "

"Well, I don't know," said he, little nettled, "I draw tolerably - should - good masters, and flatter myself that not quite blockhead "

"But, my dear fellow, joking then," said I, " very passable skull - indeed, say very excellent skull, according vulgar notions about such specimens of physiology - and your scarabus the queerest scarabus resembles it Why, get up very thrilling bit of superstition hint I presume call the bug scarabus caput hominis, or something kind - many similar titles Natural Histories But where are the antenn you spoke of ? "

"The antenn ! " said Legrand, who seemed getting unaccountably warm ; " see the antenn them as distinct original insect, and I presume sufficient "

"Well, well," , "perhaps - still I don't see them;" and I handed him the paper without additional remark, not wishing to ruffle his temper; but much surprised turn affairs had taken; his ill humor puzzled me - and, as drawing beetle, there were positively no antenn visible, whole did bear very close resemblance ordinary cuts of death's-head