The Newberry herald. [volume] (Newberry, S.C.) 1865-1884, 1871-04-12
lFor the Herald
Talks to the Little Folks about Insects.
NO. THE FLEA.

folks almost as we'll as s'Cncle john" are
published for the double purpose of afordlng
YOU instruction and amusement. Gods WIS.,
dom, power and bcnero!cnce are as perfectly
and wonderfully displayed in the small as
in the great works OF Creation. To be con-
viuccd of this truth, we have simply to ex>
anime some Of The minute results Of Creative
energy. Le; me then talk TO you in these
papers abou. insects; and think, after you
have followed nc through, you will admit
that
Gods VISIONS vast, and knows no bound
! deep, where all our thoughts are drown a.
I will introduce you ut oEce then TO his
mnjes,y the flea; brave, energetic and cum
nirg little fellow. But perhaps you recog-
nize an old acq qaaintaucc, if not an old enc
my For Which Of my young friends has not
felt his bite, end, after successful hunt,
hell him iriumphantly between the thumb
and the pointer, and heard The crack OF his
hard SIX in as he has been crushed between the
upper and neither thumb nail? This little crea-
tu-e belongs to an order Of insects, the name
of which signifies wingless, without wings.
And yet, strange to say, the name OF our
hero is derived from an old Auglo>Saxon
word which means 20 ay, perhaps from bis
welI-kuown ability Of get;ing out Of the way
when pursued. If he hasn't wings like q
bird, he ha, long, muscular legs, which he
uses with such dexterity as to supply the
lack of wings His body is somewhat the
shape o. hens egg, covered with Bard
horny skin of bright. chestnut color. The
sudden rupture of his hide causes the crack
which is heard when this parasite is squeezed
between ones nails. His head is small, with
two small. feelers, (antenna) which he shakes
incessantly when awake. His eyes are large,
round, simple and brilliant. He is provided
with hollow beak o. sheslh which incloses
q tube from which projects two long, sharp
l4ncc:s with edges that cut like saw. This
he thrustS into the skin. His. bite causing
his victim and the blood 10 start. You have
all seen the daIki>h red spot, encircled by
one of lighter hue. which is proof that
Mr. flea has been at his bloody work. Ills
ramblcs between the skin and clothes, eS-
pccally atou. the ankles, YOU boys and girls
know all about. Ifonc Of these gentry can
cffrc,ually destroy ones quiet, what if le-
gion should attack You? knew cele5Fs>
I'D D. D. who unconsc;ously gctin,o a nest
Of these parasites just before ascending the
pulpit The rogucs had no respect whatever,
for the Dr. or bis divinity, but careered over
his sanity body with perfect freedom. and
bit his sacred skin most numerically, so
that he had to fy from the pulpit, and seek
relief in change Of apparel. His structure
indicates strength and >uPpieness, his legs
being long, and full OF joints; his hind legs
particularly, are large and powerful THIS
is shown by his jumps, which are really 81
gantic, when compared 10 the size of his
body. 3ly little friends may thiuk | am
stretching when I assert that the flea has
herculean strength. but his amiabiiIy and
docility are as remarkable as his strength.
If you arc disposed 10 smile At my assertion.
You will be less incredu!ous after following
me little further. A Frencbman named
Geoffrey, tells Of one Mark, an Engli>hman,
who, with great patience and ingenuity,
----A- GILLIAN chain. finger in lcng n, TO
which was attached padlock ana Kcy, III, n
grain in weight. To these lie hsrncssed q
flea, " hich drew i, easily. The same writer
relates something more marvellous sti!l about
our hero. lie says that another Englishnan
constructed carriage and six horses Of
ivory, with coachman on the box, and a
dog at his feet. In The carriage were four
Passengers, with two servants behind, and
tue whole was drawn by ono flea. Paris and
many other cities Of France wcni into ecsta>
cicS many years ago, over an exhibition OF
learned heas- A patient and ingenious
Frenchman trained thirty feas, that stood
upon their hind legs and were armed with
miniature wooden spears, to go thro' regular
military exercises. Then he harnessed two
hcas to a golden carriage with four wheels,
a III ird flea was seated on the box holding q
whip, and at the word Of command, the flea
horses trot!ed off. a cannon, perfect gem
of triukct, mounted on its carriage, was
drawn by TWO o:hcr feas. These insect horses
were at t'ached to the carriages by golden
thread, tied around their thighs. They per-
formed these fcats on 4 highly polished glass
surface, the spectators viewing these very
interesting performances through magnify
ing glasscs fixed in a curtain, and placed be
fore them.
have thus given You some idea of the
structure, streng h, docility and intelligence
of the flea. may add that fleas are very
afTec,ionatc and kind 10 each other. | never
heard of any Of the tribe having quarrels OF
disacrccments, which is more. thaa can be
said of some boys and girls. The mother
flea is very careful Of her children, and feeds
them almost precisely as the mother bird
docs hers, by dsgorginS into their mouths
the blood with which she has filled herself
And even before her young are hatched she
anticipates their wants, as thoughtful mo-
ther ought, by mixing with her eggs parts
cles Of dried blood which she has obtained
at our expense, for their nOurishment. I
don't know, boys and girls, that you will
kill one flea less for all that l have said in
his favor. Well, can't say that will blame
you much, for, with all his good qualities, he
is real little plague So you sec that one
bad habit or disposition may render useless.
contemplate and Injurious. all other excel
lcncrs and qualities. Have any Of my little
friends such habit or disposition? Then
get rid Of it in childhood and youth, or it
ma" make you the banc Of socieiy in after
years. CNELI 1OnN-
NIwpEER- G.. II.
DE MusDESHELr The April number OF this
beautiful Fashion l'eri"o,.'al, puhl.hrd II, Eu.
ropc. and imported by : r.I.vior. 70: 5ol Canal
S.iec,, New York. has been received. 1t IL one oil
the best aud most reliable Journals o. fashion Tor
ladies' in this country. No lady s!oa'L lie with
out H. II gives some l.501 Illustrations Z: pat
tens, 4 0 diagrams OF embroidery. and II large