Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1857-10-08
From the Diary of a Country
Doctor.

We find the following in a late number of
the Baltimore Patriot. The rea der NAV not
be generally aware that the wasp is the
enemy of and Is 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. Rlank, worried, exhausted, and rcR-
deFeo excitabe and nervous BY extreme
anxiety from the uncertainty and des perate
nature of her case, was riding quietly
along, when my attention was attracted by
huge spider rapidly crossing the Justly
roads. Every energy he possessed seemed
to be cxerted; anxiety and alarm appeared
depicted. not in his countcnance, but in
ever, motion; extreme terror seemed to be
the Tul ng pass Oh of the moment, shown hv
his occasionally throw NJ his head b. ok, as
II locking to see some terrible enemy ap-
preaching, who would anbihilate him; his
efforts for progression were tremepdous--
the UiS icrgo doubtless possessed over
whelming power. stopped In about five
minutes noticed Precursor, species of
blue wasp, in active pursuit; it would hv
ten or twelve inches. then alight, smell the
ground, and so pass alcn2, evidently trail
ing the spider. sometimes missing the trail,
then returning or taking the back track, till
il arrived to where the snider digerged from
the recta' gular line. Never hound traiied
fox or cat watched rat with the per;inaciiy
this insect followed It's prevail was act;v-
ity, decision, and promp'i,ude-no part of
the lit'le insect rested qr!iet; every member
was in state of motion, head, ngs, feet,
ETC.
The greatest detention was at fhe edge
of the read, where the spider had failed in'o
deep rut, and continued in it, for about
twelve feet Here the Freemason appeared
at fault; repeatedly it 1ew over the rut. and
for short distance continued in Il straight
line, but soon returned; for five times was
this repeated, detecting right and left from
the bee line, but without success; the last
time it returned, it rested one moment, ap-
Parently in reflection, then suddenly darted
to The bottom OF the Fut and advanced rapidly
on the trail. 1t passed the place where he
rut was left by the spider, only sh ut dis
taDce, returaed, seemed again at FAULT for an
instant, then swiftly passed down the side
of the rut opposite to that by which the
spider had left; immediately flew TO the
other side, sonn fell in with the trail, and
energetically followed it, although the pur-
sued often moved in zigzag line.
Within fifty yards of the road the victim
was oVertaken; the spider seemed paralyzed;
made not the least resistance, bnt quietly
turned on its back, and never moved limb.
Its pursuer pounced on it with all the rapac-
ity and venom that ever cat seized It's prev
or the anxious worn-ou, iuebriaie clutches
the Intoxicating bowl
i stood by unm9Ted. not feeling inclined
to interfere; unexci.ed by that principle
sait TO be inherent in the bosom of man
which urges him to ex end his controlling
influence where ;hr weak and innocent are
in the power OF the strong and treacherous, i,
but felt rather gratfied that this huge poison
Gus insect had met just and righteous
doom. Thus, as Sir Waller eloquently SAYS,
was distracted one atom of life ircm the
sum total OF spider existence.
This same day had scarcely passed
mile on my iroad, after the above tragical af-
fair had ended, when ! met with one of tine
mos, painful among many painful scenes
have, in dCYers fed l.e, had % encounter.
My attention was attracted overhead by the
cry of cra-cra-cra; on locking from whence
The cry of distress came, ! perceived a me-
dium sized hawk. with large chicken in
IFS ta!Ons, apparently as weighty as il could
carry. The hawk appeared overloaded and
nearly exhausted; with much effort it sue
ceeded in alightiug in the crotch OF large
chestnut-trce abOrt eighty yards from the
road | was travelling. From the exhaustion
y its captor the chicken seemrd the strong
er of the two, and have no doubt but that
il il had teen armed with defensive weap-
ons as effective US its antagonist, that it
would have escaped. But this not being
the case, the haak, with pertinaciiy un-
conqucrabe, kept his IalonS buried in the
fowl. For ten or fifteen minutes the exer-
tons OF the chicken were lmmenSe-after
this its power appeared spent. anG it seemed
apparently resigned To its fate. Now CON-
mences the most horrible part Of the tray
edy. As the hawk tore the flesh the whole
body Of the victim qavered, ard the cry of
anguish reached nv ears, pca-Pea--pea.
became greatly, excited alightsd from INV
horse went to the foot of the tree .&by shout
ing attempted To arrest the horrible banquet
this was all in vain | then tried bv
throwing stones to drive him from his bloody
feast; but they were anheeded; they Gid not
reach the monster, far he was too elevated,
Unmindful of all could do, he continued
his cruel dissection; all this time the plain.
tive pea-Pea-Psa resoundIng in my ear,
D! aow | wished Tor gun, but none was
obtainable. The case was hop. p.eless. In
despair of rendering aid, after msnv min.
utes of extreme exertiou, r.,, the uee.
horrlhed. l mounted my horse, anl gave