The Hancock Jeffersonian. [volume] (Findlay, Ohio) 1857-1870, 1857-12-25
StIttt Storu.
From tine Diary Of q Country School
,7rs Ma ster.

From the Diary of a Country School
.. Master.
We find the following in a late
number Of the Baltimore Patriot
The reader may not be generally
aware that the wasp is the enemy
and greatly feared by the spider
The moral in each case given, the
reader can draw for himself:
Years ago, after being up all night
with Mrs. Blank, wearied, worrie |,
exhausted, and rendered excitable
and nervous by extreme anxiety aris
ing from the uncertainty and desper.
ate nature OF her case, l was riding
quietly along, when my attention was
attracted by huge spider rapidly
crossing the dusty road. Every ener.
gy lie possessed seemed to be exert.
cd, anxiety and alarm appeared de.
picted, not in his countcnance, but in
every motion; extreme terror seemed
to be the ruling passion Of the mo.
tnent, shown by his occasionally
throwing his head back, as if look
ing to sec soma terrible enemy ap-
preaching who would annihilate
him; his efforts for progression were
tremendous the ris a tergo doubt.
less possessed overwhelming power.
l stopped. In about five minutes !
noticed free mason, a specie OF blue
wasp, in active pursuit; it would fly
ten or twelve inches, then alight,
smell the gronnd, and so pass along,
evidently trailing the spider. some
times missing the trail, then return
ing or taking the back track, till it
arrived to where the spider diverged
from the rectangular line. Never
hound trailed fox, or cat watched
rat with the pertinacity this insect
followed its prey-all was activity,
decision and promptitude- no part
of the little insect rested quiet; eve.
ry member was in a state of motion,
head, wings, feet etc.
The greatest detention was at the
edge OF the road, where the spider
had fallen into deep rut. and con-
tinueJ in it about twelve feet. Here
the freemason appeared at fault; re-
peatedly it flew over the rut, and for
. short distance continued in a
straight line, but soon returned; for
five times was this repeated, defect
ing right and let from the bee line,
but without success; the last time it
returned it rested one moment, ap.
parently in reflection, then suddenly
iarted to the bottom OF the rut, and
advanced rapidly on the trail. 1t
passed the place where the rut was
left by the spider, only a short dis
tance, returned, seemed again at
fault for an instant, then swiftly pas
ing down the side Of the rut oppo.
site to that by which the spider had
left; Immediately flew on the other
side, soon fell in with the trail, aFc
cnergetically followed it, althOus 81
the pursued often moved in q zigzae
line.
Within fifty yards Of the road the
victim was overtaken, the spider
seemed paralyzcd; made not the least
resistance, but quietly turned on its
back, and never moved limb. Its
pursurer pounced on it with all the
rapacity and venom that ever cal
seized its prey, or the anxious,w worn
out inebriatc clutches the bowl.
stood by unmoNed, not feeling
inclined to interfere; unexcited by
that principle said to be inherent in
the bosom of man which urges him
to extend his controlling influence
where the weak and innocent are in
the power of the strong and treacher
Gus, but felt rather gratified that this
huge poisonous insect had met q JUS
ard righteous doom. Thus, as SiI
Walter eloquently says, "was alb
stracted one atom Of life from the
sum total' OF spider existence.
This same day ! had scarcely pas
sed mile on myiroad after the above
tragical affair had ended, when l me
with one of the most painful among
many painful scenes ! have, in q di
versitied life, had to encounter. M,
attention was attracted overhead b.
the cry of cra.cra.cra; on looking
from whence the cry OF distress came
l perceived q medium sized hawk
with q large chicken in its talons
apparently as weighty as it coul'
carry. The hawk appeared over
loaded and nearly exhausted; wit
much effort it succeeded in slightin
in the crotch of a large chestnut.tre
about eighty yards from the road
was travelling. From the exhaustion
Of the captor the chicken seemed th
stronger Of the two, and l have q
doubt but that II it had been arane
with defensive weapons a. efiectiv
as its antsgonist, thst Il weald hav
escaped. But this not being Ii
case, the hawk, with Q pertinscit
uncouquerable, kept his tslons bul
led in the breast OF the fowl. FC
ten or fifteen minutes tho exertiou
Of the chicken was immenss--sfts
this It's power appeared spent, and
seemed apparently resigned. to il
fAteh MAy sommencss ths, raost DO
rfhe paH ot the tragedy. las tt
hawk tore the flesh the whole bod
OF its,yietisa Aaivsrad, and the 'ci