New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-05-02

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After having gained the love Of 9 spy, Pelllsso
found II easier to tame . spider. This insect ha
drawn its web over the bars Of the grating whic
allowed light and air to enter the cell he spared
the trouble Of watching for ~ prey BY placing hall
dead flies on the edge Of the grating, which ID
| spider came down to fetch. II soen grew accul
toned to this system and soon ventured to come AM
take Its prey out Of Pelissons band. He continue,
hs experiments in spider edncation and It soon cam
70 s masters hand, not merely at his voice, but
The sound Of fife played BY . Basque who watchet
him. It would walk iamiliarly on PeIlissons knees
and seemed to be grateful to the man who treated 1
with 80 much kindness. 1t was no longer spider il
Pellisssn's eyes; 1t was friend, companion Ii
misfortune State prisoner. We cannot believe tha
Governor Of the Bastile, NJ de Besemaux, had thu
barbaty TO trampe under foot this companion Of 81
unhappy man. It would be almost crime, The
more odious as II could only be suggested by base
and stupid cruelty but brutal and 6alfinto1icated
turnkey was probably the perpetrator Of this muir
der, which drew from the prisoner this mournfu ex
clamation, "Ah, sir, you have caused me greater
pain than you could produce By all the tortnres in the
A prisoner named Lard whom Constantin de Rem.
neville bad as bis companion in bis room and cell
had tanned rats, which eat and slept with him. This
man, who was accused Of having published lbels
world, and bad become attached to his prison by the
affection which he had inspired among these vile ami
mails be even curses any one who was sent to share
ne stone jerkin In which be was rotting On bis
gwen
them, and could distinguish them one from the other
One was called Ratapan, another LIE Gouu, . third
Le Friand, and 80 on. When he dined, you might
zee an these rats come round bis dish and make
horrible disturbance while he tried to keep them on
friendly terms. "Come Goulu," be would say to
one. you eat too fast. Let LIE Frisnd come up to
have his share. Why didst thou bite Rstaparl j"
AND be tried TO lecture these ndoce brutes Is il they
had been gifted with intelligence If had killed
one Of these vilanous animals adds the eyewitness
be would have flown at my threat" It 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; be
on the tail. IF
After having been separated from his friend.
DAlllgre, who had shared the wondrous tolls and
fortunate issue Of bis first escape, he sought omope
abect animals for another sort 81 friendship which
would at least, enable him to endure the burden Of
solitude. His new friends were rats that he had
tanned. ITO them he writes, ~ owed the only for.
ness" These rats disturbed him greatly, by coming
to eat his straw, and even biting him in The face he
resolved therefore, that be was forced to live with
them ne would try to inspire them with some degree
Of anecton. one day huge rat having made its ap.
pearance ne called 1t gently, and threw it some
crumbs OF bread, which it took after some hesitation
and carried OF to its hole The next day the rat re-
appeared and required less pressing to come and take
= bread On the third day the rat became more
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 rei3ast came
hand. '~ P'A''ne'
This was not all-example is as CONTAGIOUS among
rats a. among men, The rat took new lodgings. and
summoned Its wife and six young ones they took
,p tneir quarters around Latnde, who gave them
names, and taught them to walk on their hind legs
md to reach their food, which was hung up about
wo feet from the ground. This society OF rats found
so comfortable that they showed their
eeth 10 any intruder who tried to enter their ranks
sney multiplied patriarchally up to the number OF
twenty six, great and small who lived, like Latude.
IN the Kings bread. The spiders were doubtIesslv
u more savage character than the rats for Laude
never succeeded In tanning single one. Although
,e olelea mem ines and insects although he Sc
1ueed them BY whisting and playing the flageolet,
which he had formed by taking wheat-stalk out Of
nis paliasse the spiders would not yield to the soft
impeachment, and hence be concluded that Pelssops
'pder was only myth Still, the Baron de Trenck,
;onhned during the same period at Magdeburg.
onnd bis spiders much tanner; he had even promised
70 render brilliant homage to the marvellous in.
'ncts OF these insects and he would have furnished
some powerful arguments in favor of animals pos
He merely relates, however, in his memoirs. the
touchlng history of the mouse, which be tanned to
such degree. that it came to eat out of his mouth
could not he says, "trace all the reflections which
The astonishing intelligence of this animal produced
in me-" One night the mouse, by leaping, scratch.
ing, and knawing, caused such disturbance that the
major, summoned by the sentinels, commanded
round o. 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.
major seized the mouse and carried it off to the
suard-room. On the next day, the mouse, which had
rled with great courage to gnaw its way through the
1oor, waited for the dinner hour to return to its
master at the heels of the gaoler Trenck was greatly
lin manifold caresses. The major seized the poor
'nmal second time, refusing to restore it to the
prisoner but he made it present to his own wife,
Vto put it in cage hoping to bring it round by kind
reatment and good food. Two days later the mouse,
which would take no food, was found dead. Grief
lad killed it. New Monthly.