Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1880-07-22
Philadelphia Times.
The Energetic Huntress.


III IL NJ THIS Pheasant sprlngIme season OF
the year. when the May blossoms are giving
rich promise of the buds Of June, when the
voice Of the turtle is heard in the land and
the song of the summer birds is growing
louder as they swing cheerily northward
after their winter in the south, when the
mop and the WATERFALL pervade all we'll
regulated households, when the carpets are
coming up with the early peas and when
oysters and uls,ers are simultaneously going
into retreat-it is a, this blithe period Of the
middle spring-time that lovely woman fills
up her cup and fills up her can with some
sort Of insect exterminator. leads out her
horses and calls up her men, as i, were, and
gaily gangs free upon her annual hunting Of
the moth.
In this exciting chase in which she every
year engages with so much enthusiasm,
lovely women takes no account Of time, nor
does she ai all consider place or circum-
stance. All the ardor Of her being Is
aroused at the mere mention Of a moth, and
when moth actually comes in sight no
earthly power can pacIfy her or restrain her
from pursuing 1t not only over such physical
obstacles chairs and tables, but also over
the moral barriers set by the rules Of pro
pr.ety and dccorum. Were she content to
hunt the moth in the privacy Of her closet.
or TO limit her pursuit Of 1t in the drawing
room TO that early period Of the day before
eanonical calling hours begin. her eccentric
performances would be a personal affair
with which the public would have nothing
to do and To which newspaper criticism
could not BE- properly applied. a matter
lying between herself and her conscience,
and wholly independent OF the rights and
privileges of her fellow beings in the world
But her Diana-like propensity seems to be
altogether unoontrollablc. no matter what
may be her surroundings when she puts
up moth. In the mids, of serious con-
vcrsaIIon. in the midst Of uproarious mirth,
while the martial blast Of the piano. forte
rings out with melodlous violence. while the
air ~ quIsering With the dulcct sweetness Of
impassioned song-in every season that the
conventions Of society hold dedicate to re-
pose. lovely woman is not TO be restrained
from giving utterance 10 the seml-apo!ogetic
exclamation. "Oh There's a moth" and
-traightway dashing off in full pursuit Of the
gracelrss lepidoptcr. thus wrecking the
serious conversation, checking instantly the
wholesome ou;bgrst Of meFrimenf breaking
IN upon the concord OF sweet sounds and
putting a stop generally to whatever may be
going on. Nor Is it possible 10 convince
lovely woman that the violent Interruptions
caused by her intense eagrrncss in moth
hunting are IN any wise unseemly or TO be
condemned. With that refreshing simplicity
and dlrectness Of purpose which is the dear
creatures most engaging characteristic. she
argues that the moth IS a malicious insect
wholly given over 10 sinful, predatory
habits, and that TO slaughter it on sight is
to render acceptable service to mankind at
large. You may talk 10 the sweet thing all
day, showing her that even when her slip
pers and silk stockings are Of the most ap-
proved sort, her caperings around the room
after moth are always senseless and fre-
quently are rude. and when your argument
Is ended she will only smile atfably and re-
main unconyinced. And, If occasion offers,
she will fall TO hunting the moth then and
there.
And does lovely woman ever catch the
moth Well. that is rather a delicate ques-
ton. Personally. We have devoted a good
many years 10 observing the phenomena Of
moth hunting as it is conducted BY the gen
tie sex, and We must confess that never yet
have We known moth hunt TO end in
way thAl tilc most llI-rinptreu u,oth could
objec, 10. Our observation is 10 the eftec,
that the moth highly enjoys the whole per
at heart merry li,,le in
sect, full Of activity, and with an intensely |
Keen appreciation OF a practical joke. That |
he regards the tricks which he plays on |
lovely women as practical jokes Of the |
most laughablc description does not admit |
Of moments doubt, His view Of the |
chase seems TO be that il arnuses her and |
does not harm him, and is rather good fun |
all around. This is the result as we say. Of |
our own personal investigation but We have
been assured by many Of heavens bes. gifts
to man that the number of moth. captured
and slaughtered annually by lovely women
fairly rivals the tens Of thousands slain by /
the late King David. Contradiction, of
course, is impossible, and We caa only feel |
a mild regret, tempered by gentle sur
prise, that our experiences have been uni
formly in the nature OF exceptions to this |
alleged general rule; and in dreamy way
that the wife of Ananias was named Sap
phira.