New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-05-04
Prisoners Pastimes.


Prisoners Pastimes.
After having gained the love OF SOY, Pelsson
found IT easier to tame spider. This insect had
drawn its web over the bars Of the grating which
allowed light and air to enter the cell; he spared it
dead flies on the edge of the grating, which the
spider came down to fetch. It soon grew accus
toned to this system and soon ventured come and
take its prey ont Of Pelssons hand, He Continued
his experiments in spider education and it soon came
to its masters hand not merely at his voice. but at
the sound of a fife, played by Basque who watched
him. 1t would walk Familiarity on Pellisson's knees
and seemed to be grateful to the man who treated ii
with SO much kindness. It was longer spider in
Pellisssn's eyes; it was friend, companion in
misfortune, State prisoner. We cannot believe that
q Governor OF the Bastile, N. de Besemaux had the
barbariy to trample under foot this companion Of an
unhappy man. 1t would be almost a crime, the
more odious as it could only be suggested by base
and stupid cruelty but brutal and haltintoxicated
turnkey was probably the perpetrator of this muir.
der, which drew from the prisoner this mournful ex.
c'amation, :" All, sir, you have caused me greater
pain than you could produce by all the tortures in the
world. would rather you had killed me y
prisoner named Lizard, whom Constantin de Rem.
neville had as his companion in his room and cell
had tanned rats, which eat and slept with him. This
| man, who was accused of having published libels
against the King and Court had not friend in the
world and had become attached to bis prison by the
affection which he had inspired among these vile ami
the "stone jerkn " in which he was rotting on his
straw. He knew them all by the names be had given
them, and could distinguish them one from the other
One was called Ratapan another LIE Goulu, third
LIE Friand, and SO on. When he dined, you might
see all these rats come round his dish and make
horrible disturbance while he tried to keep them on
friendly terms. Come Goulu,' he would say to
one, ",you eat too fast. Let LIE Frand come up to
have his share. Why didst thou bite Ratapann?n
And he tried to lecture these ndoce brutes as If they
had been gifted with intelligence. eff had killed
one of these vianous animals. adds the eyewitness
" he would have flown at my throat" 1t was plea
sure which diverted me many times, to see him call
these brutes by their names. You might see them
come out of their holes as il to receive orders: he
gave them little piece of bread after which he sent
them back to their holes by giving them gentle tap
on the tail
After having been separated from his friend,
Alligre, who had shared the wondrous tolls and
fortunate issue of his first escape be sought among
abJect animals for another sort Of friendship, which
solitude His new friends were rats that he had
tanned. "To them" he writes, ~ owed the only for.
tnnate distraction found during my long wretcbed.
ness" These rats disturbed him greatly, by coming
resolved therefore, that he was forced to live with
them he would try to inspire them with some degree
OF affection One day huge rat having made its an.
pearance e. he called it gently, and threw it some
and carried off to its hole The next day the rat re.
appeared and required less pressing to come and take
the bread. On the third day the rat became more
familiar and more voracious, because Latude deprived
himself OF portion OF his daily ration of meat to at
tract this hungry guest the ensuing days the rat
whose confidence increased with each repast. came
up at full trot to take its meal from the prisoners
hand.
rats as among men. The rat took new lodgings, and
summoned its wife and six young ones :; they took
up their quarters around Latude, who gave them
names, and taught them to walk on their hind legs,
q M n oh, thnr FpnI oh.
two feet from the ground This society of rats found
themselves so comfortable that they showed their
teeth to any intruder who tried to enter their ranks
they multiplied patriarchally up to the number OF
on the Kings bread. The spiders were, doubtlessIy
OF more savage character than the rats for Latitude
never succeeded in tanning single one. Although
he offered them flies and insects; although be Sc
dueed them by whistling and playing the fageolet,
(Which he had formed by taking wheat-salk out Of
MS pallasse the spiders would not yield to the soft
impeachment, and hence hsconcuded that Pe,sson,s
spider was only myth. Still, the Baron de Trenck,
confined during the same period at Magdeburg
found his spiders much tanner; he had even promised
to rendera brilliant homage to the marvellous in.
stncts OF these insects, and he would have furnished
some powerful arguments in favor of animals pos.
sessing soul.
He merely relates, however, in his memoirs, the
touching history of the mOnse, which he tanned to
such degree, that it to eat out of his mouth
could not he says, trace all the reflections which
.le astonishing lntelgence OIL this animal produced
IN me-" One night the mouse, by leaping, scratch
lng and knawing, caused such disturbance that the
MAJOR, summoned by the sentinels, commanded |
round OF the prison. and himself examined the locks
and bolts, to assure himself that no attempt at escape
was being made. The Baron de Trenck confessed |
That all the noise was produced by the mouse, which
could not sleep, and demanded its masters liberty.
The major seized the mouse, and carried it off to tile
5uard,room. On the next day, the mouse, which had
tied with great courage to gnaw its way through the
ioor, waited for the dinner hour to return to IL,
master at the heels of the gaoer Trenck was greatly
surprised to find it climbing up his legs, and giving
nm manifold caresses. The major seized the poor
lnmal second time, refusing to restore it to the
prisoner but he made it present to his own wife,
Hfo put it in cage, hoping to bring it round by kind
reatment and good food. Two days later, the mouse,
vncn would take no food, was found dead. Grief
had killed it, New Monthly.
PRESrIcIANA.-Ther has been such incessant |
aims at Cincinnati that they talk of building an ark
" we lear It would be difficult to find Noah among |
he people OF that village.
Two young Cincinnatians ran away with couple |
of vessels from that city las. week. The vessels |
we're of the kind that st. Paul calls the weaker yes
sels
The Richmond Wing says that Old Buck has
been sold. We guess his purchaser was a good deal
worse "sold'
-, a st. Louis paper announces the startling fact |
that our neghbor of the Journal "has drawn the
sword and thrown away the scabbard."
democrat.
If we had nobody to fight but you, neighbor, we
should prefer throwing away the sword the scab.
bard would do your business for you.
The editor of the Democrat says he has eha,cea
US up. Indeed we are not buzzard enough to recip.
rocate the favor.
The Washington Union says that "Mr. Buchanan's |
position challenges public admiration" We do not
learn whether public admiration is brave enough to
accept the challenge.
The students OF Irving College, at Manchester,
tlv a liberal 90 NJ