Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1888-10-18
MOURNING FOR A WASP.
The Tragic Fate Of an Alrsc,ionato I,s..,
That Had Become Pet
New XorL- Son

The Tragic Fate cf an Airyclioua,e Ips,,,
That Had Become a Pet
New York Sun.
Mrs. Ruth Fielder, of North Bergsr
n. j., is grieving over the untimsly dsatb
of tame aud very intelligent wssn
Owing to ? mistake in identity on ho6
sides on Friday night the wasp stung bsr
and, in the uureasoniug pain of the ma.
ment, she crushed it out of existence.
Oue bitterly cold morning last March
Mrs. Fiedlee went shiyering into fbs
dreary breakfRst-room and prepared In
light q fire. As sne did SO she noticed
what looked like the body of dad
wasp under the stove. The insec. bs5
evidently crept there to get the bene6, on
the warmth from the expiring emb,rs
and it's life seemed to have gone out with
the heat. Mrs. Fielder remembered read.
ing somewhere tnat insects oyercoms By
cold were not necessarily dead, but mere
ly IN a state of suspended animation, in
which they often remained for several
months, to revive "a soon as warmth.
natural or artificial, penetrated their tor.
pidty. She determ ,led to test the sound.
ness of this theory, and as soon as 81.
fire was aglow shs laid tho wasp on
piece Of note paper and placed 1t close
to the stove.
Within ten minutes the insect hogan to
revive. The bulbucus rear portion OF iR
body moved tremulouely, tne slender as.
tachment at the waist relaxed aud became
flexible, the belt assumed q more pro
nounced yellow color, and the big eyes
grew bright and bulged gratefully st
Mrs. Fielder. II was worth many dead
Hasps yet.
Mrs. Fielder RECALLED il with fruit, jelly
and, unlike the frozen serpent OF the
fable, it repaid its benefector with every
mark Of confidence aud affection. While
the cold weather lssted l5s mistress had
to warm it into vitality every morning
but the sunny days of April found it en-
| joyiag full health and yigor. When Mrs.
Fielder was in the room it passed much
of it's time on her head, and always fed
from Ter plate or out of hsr hand. AZ
au especial treat it was occasionally al
lowed TO alight on her lips when she was
eating preserves. 1t would take food
from no other person in the house. It
| seemed to have forgotten that 1t had
sting, and Mrs Fielder forgot Is too
! During the four months that it remain
cd in the hou-e it only left the breakfast
room once. tramp AT the hall door,
objscting to the pe.city OF brandy IN
piece of mince pie that Mrs. Fielder
| had given him, was loudly insolent 10 bis
denunciations of her qualifications as
pastry cook. Mrs. Riedler's husband was
absent, and she was very much trigh'en
/ ed, but the wasp darted to the rescue II
sturg the fellow behind the ear and chased
! him across the street u hunted hlh
/ so far that it could not Immediately moo
| its way back and after twenty four nouI'
| had passed Mrs Fielder proposed 70 OF
fer reward for it's recovery. Her nus
! band, however. objected, on the groula
! that Vesper, as his wife's pet was eal!ta'
was not the only wasp in the neighoof.
hood. and, stimulated By the hope o.
gain, every boy in North Bergen Woala
/ bring q singing insect 10 the door. ana N
all likelihood leave it there whether
was the right one or not. No reward sA
offered, but on the second morning hiN.
| the visit OF the tramp, Mrs. Fielder iouI.
/ Vesper waiting for her in the ROOM !,
had returned in the night and sqnssls5
| it's way through the keyholes. Il tFluVsl
extravaganza Joy at seeing rs ~ 'slI,s 49,
and consumed a large quantity OF opp"
( butter for its breakfast ,..a
J But on Friday night the wasp lH's
found il. The family had re rec alo
| Mrs. Fielder was in her room "heh sue
reco.lected that she had left her gloves VI.
the table down stairs. Actcated y
fatal shirt Of tidiness she went cow y
get them. Sac found them readily u - -.
! knew she snoaid What she did nov 49, 49,
was that the wasp Was in one OF ms. ms.
Recognizing in the covering some lils
verg suye estive in the hand II loFe' -
well il had decided to sleep there ~ ~,
night. As she went toward the doos W az.
Fielder mechanically drew on the a .lt ,os
occupied glove. Vlgilsnt as d we.e -oreS
the WASH was wide awake ana piePa-.-
for sctian: but il lacked the canine p's
of distinguishing indiyiduaihes - a.
dark. and, mistaking its mistress ~ - -
intrusive stranger, 1t etuug hsf ueig -.slcr
~ noIn of the hand. Mrs. f'so's'
screamed, and in the sgony ot 'n sbs
meut she forgot all about Fesp..', ir-
suoposed that some andomestlcs.s'e-
sect was in her glove, aud sne COZ. lie, lie
" cIinched her fingers. When WI ' ',-bts
oropsea bv her cry, went down WIN ~ NJ
Vesper was in the throes II us.-5 sin
ewes. "a they sought hers, were n''e' 4
an expression which she iass' ~. mo-
meaning that it's only regret ~ ~. - taBs
meut was for having Vounoeo
that had Au befrieudrd y.