Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1881-04-13
The Butterfly and Grasshopper
Entertainment.

One hot summers day butterfly and
grasshopper met together in the shade of an
apple tree, and while the former was resting
his wings and the latter his legs, they en-
tered into conversation about the social re-
lations of the various insects that walk upon
the earth or fly in the air. Miss Butterfly
said it was shame that these little folks
were not more social. Although she was a
large butterfly and her wings were variegated
with feathers of all colors, she did not feel
herself above other butterflies who were
smaller, or whose wings were all Of one color.
She said she was as ready to visit or enter
tain the moths and millers as she was her
nearer relations.
Mr.. Grasshopper said he was of the same
opinion, and also he had always been ready
to associate with the locust, katydid, and all
the cricket family, but for some reason the
locust and the katydid had always felt them
selves above him and the crickets appeared
to feel rather exclusive, and keep themselves
under warm hearths and stones.
They both thought that something ought
to be done to improve the social relation of
the insect tribes and Mr.. Grasshopper sug-
gested convention to be called at some
future day during the summer to consider
the matter.
Miss Butterfly agreed with him and prom
lsed TO use her influence towards it. In the
meantime she proposed that they get up an
evenings entertainment and invite their re-
spective friends and acquaintance This,
she thought, would so please them that they
would be prepared to act tremendously at
the convention.
So they appointed the evening and in
vited the guests. Miss Butterfly invited all
the Butterflies of every kind, the moths and
In mill thA HtAa a,,I
toes also the honeybees and the humble
bees, the hornet, the wasp and the yellow
jackets, and great many others.
Mr.. Grasshopper invited all his relations,
which were many, also the crickets, the
katydids, the locusts, the ants, the glow
worm, the snail and all others that he thought
would be agreeable.
The plan was TO have good supper, and
be followed by good music and dancing and
other innocent amusement the company
might get up.
The evening came, which proved to be
clear and calm, and all came that were in
vited.
The snail, although he had only three
feet to travel was much fatigued, and feel
ing that he should be too tired to return
home that night, brought his own little bed
room on his back to sleep in. The bees,
hornets, wasps and yellow jackets, all agreed
to leave their stings at home that night.
This table was large toad stool, and
they spread on it large sunfower leaf for
tablecloth.
The company all seated themselves around
the table, and Miss Butterfly and Mr.. Grass
hopper, with their assistants, waited on the
guests, and brought them such dishes as
they chose.
The honey-bee took white clover bios.
som for his supper. The bumble-bee said
he preferred the red clover blossom. The
hornet, wasp and yellowjacket said they
were not very particular, but liked apples,
peaches or any such ripe fruit The fly
said he liked little of almost everything
that was not too sour. He would take
cheese or butter, or sugar, or cream, any
thing sweet; he said he was a great lover Of
smear kase, also liked meat, either raw or
cooked, but he ate no vinegar or pepper.
The butterflies were delicate eaters, and
chose flowers containing honey dew. The
moths and millers said they could eat very
solid food, and if otherwise inconvenient,
they would be satisfied with piece of
broadcloth, blanket or any wooden article, SO
1t did not have snuff or camphor in it. The
crickets liked similar dish, as they had
strong jaws and sharp teeth. The grasshop-
per chose the blades of timothy grass, but
said, upon pinch, they could eat some off
pitchfork and rakehandles; they had some
times supped on a boys coat which had
been left in the meadow all night.
The host and hostess managed without
difficulty, to serve every guest with what
hey wanted, with one exception. The
spider, when asked what he would have,
said he would take a fly and nothing else.
Here was a difficulty which was not fore
seen. The idea that one member of the
company should desire another member for
his supper, was not to be entertained, and
murmurs arose, aud some who had once been
caught in the spiders web, proposed to turn
him out without his supper, and would have
done so had not Miss Butterfly found fy
drowned in a dish of cream, which was
given the spider, who by a unanimous voice,
was compelled to eat it alone at side table.
After supper came the ball. Their room was
brilliantly lighted by the glow-worm and the
FREELY. The music consisted of two violins
played by the katydid and the locust, a bas-
soon played by the winged beetle; the
cricket played the triangle, and the bullfrog
was called in from neighboring pond to
beat the bass drum.
Mr.. Grasshopper and Miss Butterfly led in
the first set, which was made up of their re-
n
figures. All engaged in the dance except
few, who preferred to look on only. The
was asked by the hornet to dance
with him, but she declined, saying that she
had always been so busy that she had never
found time TO learn, though she had some
times made others dance. The ant said
she could never see any pleasure, either
in dancing or music. She preferred house
keeping for her amusement The snail
became so pleased and excited that he
offered to dance a jig by himself. This set
the whole company in roar of laughter
which abashed him so, that he hauled in his
horns and went to bed.
To entertain those who took no pleasure
IN the dance, the spider came in and per-
formed some wonderful feat on both the
tight and slack rope.
And Grandfather Longlegs challenged any
one of the company to foot race, which
vas accepted by the cockroch, who beat
him nearly half way.
The beetle undertook TO turn somer-
'ault, and failing to complete it, he fell on.
his back, where he lay unable to turn him.
self over, though he tried very hard. This
sept the company laughing SO long, that an
ant, taking pity on him, went to his assist
.nce and turned him over, when he left
"iVhouI NAMING MS poW, anu scraDpleu
lone.
The fly walked on the underside OF a leaf,
back down. A grasshopper made wonder.
ul leap three feet high. The ant exhibited
Ter herculean strength by carrying the
wasp by her mouth, and many other anus.
ng things were done by other members of
he family.
The night was now far advanced, the
company broken up, and they all went to
heir several homes, highly delighted with
heir social" and resolved to repeat it on
ONE future evening.-Llnie Changers.
TOMMY wanted to prove things that he
cad. Mother" said he, do you think
ion would save little girls life if she fell
nto the water 2" al dare say he would
lear" responded the mother, whereupon
Tommy cried enthusiastically, "Oh then,