Watertown republican. [volume] (Watertown, Wis.) 1860-1906, 1862-02-14


large china basin filed with water, and
proceeded very gently to disentangle its
coils, when l perceived that the animal
had twisted itself around a bundle of eggs,
holding them fast in close embrace. In
the process of unwinding, the eggs foated
little distance. Having finally stretched it
out to its full length, perhaps half yard,
I sat watching to see if this singular being
that looked like long black thread in the
water, would give any signs of life. Al
most Immediately it moved towards the
bundle of eggs, and having reached it, be-
gan to sew itself through and through the
white mass, passing enc end of its body
through it, and then returning to take an
other stitch, as it were, till the eggs were
at last completely entangled again in an
intricate network of coils. 1t seemed to
me almost impossible that this care of off
spring could be the result of any instinct
of effection in creature of SO low an or
ganization, and again separated it from
the eggs. and placed them at a greater
distance, when tie same action was reT eated
On trying the experiment third time,
the bundle Of eggs had become loosened,
and few Of them dropped off singly INTO
the water The efforts which the animal
then made to recover the missing cnes,
winding itself round and round them, but
failing to bring them into the fold with the
rest, because they were too small, and
evaded all efforts to secure them, when
once parted from the first little compact
mass, convinced me that there was def
mite purpose in its attempts, and that even
a being SO low in the scale of animal exis-,
tence has some dim consciousness of a re-
lation to its offspring. | afterwards un-
wound also the mass of eggs, which, when
coiled up as / first saw it, made a roll of
white substance about the size of coffee
bean, and found that it consisted of
string of eggs, measuring more than twelve
feet in length, the eggs being held together
by some gelatinous substance that cement
ed them and prevented them from falling
apart, Cutting this string across, and
placing small section under the micros
cope, l counted on one surface of such
cut from seventy to seventy ty-fve eggs and
estimating the entire number Of eggs ac-
cording to the number contained on such
surface, I found that there were not less
than eight millions of eggs in the whole
string.
"Mason and Slidell, Yankee Idyl," is
another ''Bigelow Paper, by James Russ
Lowell, and will deligh all lovers of the
Yankee muse and of pungent wit. 1t is
introduced by letter of the Rev, Homer
Wilbur, Pastor of the First Church at
Jaalam," who complains and with reason
we think, that his last letter was cut short
just at the commencement of the story of
a remarkable incident which had happened
in the family of Deacon Pelatiah Tinkham;
to have given which, he says, with much
justice '.would not only have gratifed
natural curiosity on Tug put of the nnblic.
as l have reason to know, from severa1let-
ters of inquiry already received. but would
as think, have largely increased the cir
cuation of your magazine in this town, -
We are glad that the old gentleman prom
ises in this matter to ''abide more fitting
season"
Mr.. Wilbur continues
AS respects the settlement of the Mason
and Slidell question, Mr.. Bigelow has not
incorrectly stated the popular sentiment,
so far as can judge by its expression in
this locality. For myself, feel more sor
row than resentment {; for [ am old enough
to have heard those talk of England who
still. even after the unhappy estrangement
could not unschool their lips from calling
her the mother country But England
has insisted on ripping up old wounds, and
undone the healing work Of fifty years for
nations do not reason, they only feel, and
the spreta iyuria torme rankles in their
minds as bitterly as in that of woman, -
And because this is 50. feel the more sat
isfaction that our government has acted
Gas all governments should, standing as
they do between the people and their pas
ions) as if it had arrived at years of dis
cretion There are three short and simple
words the hardest of all to pronounce in
any language, and | suspect they were no
easier before the confusion of lounges, but
which no man or nation cannot utter can
claim to have arrived at manhood. Those
words are, I acas urong; and | am proud
that, while England played the boy, our
rulers had strength eneug b from below and
wisdome enough from above to quit them
selves like men. Let us strengthen the
hands of those in authority over US, and
curb our tongues. remembering that Gen
eral Wait commonly proves in the end
more than match for General HeadloDg
and that the Good Book ascribes safety to
multitude indeed, but not to a mob of
counsellors. Let US remember perpend
the words of Paulus Emilius to the people
of Rome, that .'if they judged they could
manage the war to more advantage by any
other, be would willingly yield up bis
charge; but if they conGded in him, they
were not to make themselves his colleagues
in his office, or raise reports, or criticise
bis action, but, without talking, supply
him with means and assistance necessary
to the carrying on of the war for, if they
proposed to command their own comman-
der, they would render this expedition
more Ridiculous than the former { Vide
| Plmarchsm an rata p. 3. } Let Us not for
get what the same excellent author says
concerning Perseus' fear of spending mon
ey, and not permit the covetousness of
Brother Jonathan to be the good fortune
Jefferson Davis. For my own part, till
I am ready to admit the Commander-in-