The Fairfield herald. [volume] (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1849-1876, 1876-05-31
mo. so
A MOUSE JN A SPIDER WEB
fhe WY .Woaver Etisnariug Huge
Saino--A Wonderful Narrative.
From the New OrleSfs f';,nvnnn

The w"ti'orful little spider which
capturod the mouse, and il elcvating
1T i'll its sparlor ut Mr.. Michael Gross y
carpenter shop, on Grcatmen, be.
tween Hysian Fields and Maripnv
streets, of which VIC gave IN account
yesterday morning, is still busily en-
gagged in it's herculean task, and
ming tho numerous persons who
visit 1T with nmazclncnt This as
tonishing little insect is of the black
species, and very small, n fact that
renders tho feat which it now per.
iorms tho more marvellous. Tho
mouse was accustomed, when OH u
predatory excursion, to emerge
from hole under tho bench where
spiders dwell, and pass into the
carpcntor shop where tho bencl,
stands. The cntcrpr;s;rg spider,
who had no doubt watched for n
long time the movements laid u tra,
for the transporting yottng no.lso,
and on Monday morning when it
started out on its daily rounds, tho
little spider, who was on tho lookout,
frightened tho thread which she had
prepared for her victim, whose hind
legs had boon entanglcd in them rs
II passed ont of tho hole, and soon
secured it. Immediately after tho
legs had been caught the spider
fastened another thread to tho
mouscs tail, and after several 1to,tra'
constant work succeeded in raising
her prcys hind quarters, md con
tinucd SO doing until the tip of tho
mouscs nose only touched the floor.
Having thus rendered it helpless,
the little spider ihtlustrionsly set to-
work multiplying its fastcnings.
After fow moro hours labor tho
mouse was raised one inch from tho
floor, the spider working us if with
pulley. In it's terrible cohtortiohs
to rclaas" itsclf the mouse managed
to sever the fnstcninSs around it's
hind legs, but SO strong were tho
threads which suspended it in tho
air, md se securely were they at
tachod to- it's tail, that all efforts TO
break them proved fruitless. Mr..
Gross, taking great interest in tho
proceedings, left tho spider uDdia
t,,rbctl, and durinH almost the whole
of Monday night, with several
friends, watched its working attcn
lively. The little insect, after
taking her position on her victims
tail, commenced manipulating tho
thread and working, Gradually
could the astul'ishod witnesses of
this wonderful feat see the mouse
creep up, and the threads, descend.
ing from their fastcnings under tho
corner Of the bench to tho mousc's
tail, increased i'll number, and during
the 81 hours ending yesterday cvon-
ing tho threads had SO Increased
TINT it became impossible to count
them. and tho mouse, which was still
alive though quite weakened, had
been raised from one to three and n
hnlf inches from tho floor. Tho
spider during the whole time of
its work sat on the monsn's
tail, only leaving its position
ut long intervals, when it
would cautiously creep down the
tail to it's root, and there fecd upon
the blood Of the mouse lllen re-
suming it's position on the ond of
the tail. it would again begin itt;
work. This unhcard of capture of II
mouse by SO small IN insect and it's
ingenious mnlfrcr Of olovating it
has excited the wotidcr and ndmirn.
.on of thousands of visitors, among
~l:0m may b" mentioned several
scientific men and physicians who
assembled in large crowds ut Mr..
Gross's carpenter shop t0 witness
th" gigantic task, which the lttlO.
spider has Undertaken and is SO sue
ccssf,llly bringing to IN issue Mr..
Gross will leave them undisturlcd
and carefully watch the result, ns;
every one is anxious to sec what tho
spider will do with it's captive after
it. dies, md how far it will elevate it..
y Judge in Monmoth county,. N.
j., once cautioned IN old negro who
had been acquitted not to be found
in bal company again, "Much
'bligo to yo, NInrsa," he replied, 81
allus 'spcct your advise but do
fact am dat good company and bad
company look SO much u like, dat
dis niggah can't tell dc difference
until he git right in en-"
An Indiana woman recently sent
the following note to her husband,
who is serving out three yoals'
term in the State Prison: "Donr Tom:
I have obtained II divorce from y0,t
md am about to marry again. But
ncvor mind when you come out L
will run away with you if you SEQ
my way by which we can got a.liv--
ing.
IT is considered probable in Wash
ington chat the committed on post
offices and post-roads will recon-
mend that communications on Off,
cial business may be sent free by
Congressman and, also That tho
present useless expensive system Of
official stamps now employed by ex--
ecutive departments, be abolished.
The Madison Ifo,ne Jomn,ui tells
I {I,;o. A SIrr<tor se,,nIx fo,.mor uyhf,