Richland beacon., 1881-05-14
THE TOILETTE OF rHE FLY.

The toilette Of the fyis as carefully at
tended to as that of the most frivolous of
human insects. With contempt for the
looking glass he brushes himself up and
wabbles his little round head, chuck full
Of vanity, wherever he happens to be.
Sometimes after a long day A4dissipa-
ton and flirting, with his six small legs
and little round body all soiled with
sirup and butter and cream, he passes
out of the dining-room and wings his
way TO the clean, white cord along
which the morning-glories climb, and in
this retired spot, needless OF the crafty
spider thats iS practicing gymnastics a
few feetebcvs him, he proceeds to puri-
fy and sweeten himself for the refresh
ing repose and soft dreams Of the balmy
summer night, SO necessary to one who
is expected to be early at breakfast. 1t
is wonderful toilet. Resting himself
on his front and middle legs he throws
bis hind legs rapidly over his body,
binding down his frail wings for an in
slant with the pressure, then raking
them over with backward motion,
which he repeats until they are bright
and clean. Then he pushes the two
legs along under the wings, giving that
queer structure . thorough currying,
every now and then throwing the legs
out and rubbing them together to re-
move what he has collected from his
corporal surface. Next he goes to work
upon his van. Resting on his hind and
middle legs, he raises his two forelegs
and begins vigorous scraping of his
head and shoulders, using his proboscis
Every little while to push the accumula-
tion from his limbs. At times he is so
energetic that it seems as if he were
trying to pull his head of, but no fly
ever committed suicide. Some Of his
motions very much resemble those Of
pussy at her toilet. 1t is plain, even to
the naked eye, that he does his work
thoroughly, for whec he is finished he
looks like ne " fly, 80 clean and neat
i.-, he made himself within few min
utes. The white cord is defiled, but
hoppy is himself again, and he bids the
morning glories very good evening.
THE WORK OF ONE DAY.
In the fall of 1870, Burns struck off at
one Ecat the matchless "Tale of Tam
o Shanter." The poem was the work of
one day, of which Mrs. Burns retained
vivid recollection. Her husband had
sp-nt mos OF the day by the riverside,
and in the afternoon she sought him
with her two children. He was busily
engaged grooming to himself, and Mrs.
Burns, perceiving that her presence was
an interruption, loitered behind with
her little ones among the broom. Her
attention was presently attracted by the
strange and wild gest!culations Of the
bard, who was now even at some dis
tance, agonized with An ungovernable
excess Of Joy. He was reciting very
loud, and with tears rolling down his
cheeks, those animated verses which he
had just conceived
snow Tam: O Tam. had thae been queans,
A plump and straipin' in their teens"
II wish ye had seen him." said his
wife; che was in such ecstasy that the
tears we're happing doom his cheeks.
The poet, having committed the verses
to writing, came into the house, and
read them in high triumph at the fire.
side. He ever after regarded it as the
masterpiece of all his poems, and pos
terity has not, believe, reversed the
ludgment-Meno of Letters.
DCTIES OF LEGISLATOR.