Savannah morning news. [volume] (Savannah) 1868-1887, 1886-05-24
THE PLAGUE OF FLIES.
BY MARION HARLAND.
fConuriahted. 1851

(COpVr3Ghted. 1851
1t became apparent by the time the last
month Of our nominal American spring
was half gone that the year of which i
write was to be cursed by full fly sea-
son." One week OF unreasonable warm
weather brought the buzzing horde out
in force from the mysterious corners into
which the dear old clean out Of fashion
and out Of mind ''cobweb to catch flies"
used to tell US the harmless little fly
''crept to sleep all winter" In our home
we burn the contents of our dust pans,
and as winter shows signs of abdicating
IN favor of beauteOus spring, we redOuble
our zeal in sweeping rooms aud suspicious
examination of carpet edges. Rugs are
shaken harder and Oftener, closets inspect
ed and their contents silted vigorously.
Toe dogma that with the fun collected
by the broom 80 into the fire the
eggs OF house flies, the Larvae Of moths,
etc., is held in cheerful sincerity of belief
Not that we-Or any OF our acquaintance
ever saw house fly egg genus
Muca) But, reasoning from analogy,
we assume that this is the Muscan meth
cd Of reproduction illimltable, of madden.
ing multiplication.
In this fateful year TyndalPs fascinat-
been read in our home circle, aud, as a
consequence, mild craze on the subject
OF bacteria and lnfusoria possessed most
of us. Spontaneous generation was dem
onstrated by our author 10 be an exploded
myth. Upon housewiiely fidelity depend
ed the health and comfort of the family,
Who're no dust was disease germs were
nil. When our round of exploration was
ended We Rugged ourselves in the conyic-
ton that not a loophole remained UNI
guarded.
The not spell in May awOke us rudelv
from our dream Of security. II frogs had
hoped into our kneeding trOughs, or hail
stones, and fire that ran along the ground
swept our thoroughfares, we could hardly
have been more COMPOUNDED tban by Ocu-
lar proof that Musca ova by the ems of
thousands and lain untouched by broom
or buster in more than ever mysterious
corners" and had awakened at the call
OF the south wind along with the viOlets,
tulips aud spring bOnneis. Disdainrul Of
Larvae and pOlyw0g precedent, each OF the
myriads, for all we could see 70 the con.
trary, was hatcned full grown, with more
than the regulation number of legs and a
"stayIng power" Of vOracity that would
have done credit 10 a condor. They de-
scended and assembled upon US, terrible
as an army with banners aud bagpipes.
Their hum above our tables, their titillat-
ing touch upon noses and lips in what we
could not call sleeping rooms after day
light-were tease and torment, the foray
OF legions In the kitchen was disgust and
desperation.
Fines and dirt-seen or unseen-are too
closely joined together in the housekeep-
er's mind 10 be put asunder while reason
endures. The domestic brigade sprang 10
arms. Fly doors we're hung in ali the pOr.
tails that opened into tho outer world:
wire screens lifted into every window;
rooms that always have been clean were
subjected 10 such securing and brushing
and Furnishing as raised them above by
peicritical suspicion; cool dusks reigned
throughout the house while the sun was
above the horizon. Each morning the
brigade, armed with palm leaf fans and
damp towels, charged upon the winged
battaliOns, beat out all that could
be expelled from the fort, then massa-
cred the etragglers. Each day, i0rRetmi
OF past disappointment. we painted that ct
last victory had porched upon our busters.
In half an hour into library, sewing
room. most Of oil kitchen and dining