, 1891-04-29
A SPIDERS PREDICTION.
HOW IT CONTRIBUTED TO THE
DOWNFALL OF UTRECHT.

narrow prison cell, avian and haggard
j mate, gloom and damp.
A single window only, barely a foot
quar-, heavily barred and six feet, at
least, from the ground.
PROSTATE upon q wTptChed heap Of straw
in a corner was the prisoner. not asleep,
but watching intently; and watching
what One might guess n dozen times
snd yet not hit upon the truth.
And the prisoner, upon his side upon his
heap Of straw, his CHR resting upon his
hand and his elbow fixed upon the floor,
watched a large spiders web spun in the
corner.
A curious place for a spider 70 rear his
airy castle corner Of that dark cell
where the sunlight never came aud fine
fat dies were few and far between.
For no crime had the FrruchmAu suf-
fcred. for Dis Jouval was a Frank. born
and bred He had simply talked Of liberty
and equal rights to man within the do
miuion Of the potent stakeholder Of Hol-
land
At first the Freuchman rejoiced that the
martyrs fate was his, and when he dis
covered the spider in the corEer Of the
dungeon he talked TO him O. liberty and
brotherhood But even the spider lied
from the ~sluguiue republican. And As
weeks grew into months Dis JJuyal grew
NNN#N w us NHhAANANAANNAAA hNl'A INHANA AkA NAH
free air Of heaven. The Stakeholder was
iron, tears and prayers moved him not a
Jot Then, too, the 'truUulor' meuaced
Holland and the French general, Piche-
gru, with "A large force, was lowering ON
the frontier like some huge bird Of prey
preparing Tor a swoop upon his quarry.
The spider, too, WAS a constant source OF
consolation, and from long Observations Of
the habits OF his black friend the French
rr.nr I.-nr.a nrr.a Vfka ApfNar v,.vs.r -.
peared during bad weather. and Dis Jonval
was able TO predict frost at least "a week
previous 10 its coming simply by watching
the spiders movements and noting his own
feelings, for he had observed that when the
spider kept securely housed he the French.
man was usually troubled with a bad
headache.
And while Dis Juuval was amusing him
self with these interesting observations
troublous times came to Holland.
Pichegru, with an overwhelming force,
advanced suddenly across the border. The
stakeholder did not attempt TO dispute this
march Of the Frcnchmnn. He simply re
tired, and when the French army WIS well
ia the center Of the land be adopted
against the invaders the old time tactics
that years before bad batled Spanish Alya,
and had cost a French kings brother, the
Duke Of Anj1u, a splendid army. The
"NhA vas hNNNH mn NNf NNANF NfAh fAAAF n
fiat country, the greater part Of It below
the level Of the sea, Plchegru found in the
Holland seas a lar greater foe than WIS
the Holland armies. The Dutchland was
all a swamp. the Frcuchmau could not
Advance-could hardly retreat; the fate OF
ANTON and his gallant army seemed in
store for him. He had waited until winter
set in before he had given the command
for the forward movement, for the willy
EUH1 hail wuHHrfr.FnN FIa f.atFa. ~ a..
Holland commander. But the weather
had suddenly shifted around, and an al.
most summer mildness rulgned over the
land And affairs werc thus on the morn
ing when the prisoner Of Utrecht lay at
full length upon his pallet and watched
for his friend the spider.
The jailer brought the prisoner his break
fast. a sorry rephst enough, for the prudent
Dutchman knew that there WINS nothing
like simple food TO reduce not blood and
curb impetuous wills.
You do not eat, mynheer," said the
jhiler, who leaned by the door, swung his
keys unsteady and watched the prisoner.
81 have little appetite"
That Is bad. the jailcr remarked
thouRhtfully, ''mynheer should eat aud
keep bis strength"
Dis JonvHl made a wry face.
Bah! such food as this is enough to take
avn NAN tlNNNNAf " % VIII NllAAH Atl hlhAlt
Il sick man, the FrenchmRu said
That is true, mynhecr. the jailer re
piled, 1.-The food is coarse. but | will see
that you have a better dinner, although !
go against my instructions and would sur
fer If The government should Ind IL out"
The matter is between US two" Dis
JouvRI rrjoiucd Il shall say nothing, and
l Judge that you will not care to speak Of
Il feel more Inclined TO do you a kind
ness, myuhcer, because two days ugu |
thought j. might be probable that we
should change placcs-you become the
jailer and the prisoner"
How sOf' asked the Frenchmuu in MS
Constituent
The jailcr then related to Dis Jonval
what had trauspired during the past week.
He told Of Pi~chegru's advance. how the
French general had threatened the capture
Of Utrecht, and had only been prevented
from taking the town By the cutting Of the
dykes and tile flooding Of the country with
water.
You sec, mynheer, said the juler in
conclusion. your cuuutrymeu depended
upon hard weather II a frost had come
be certainly would have taken the city, but
as it is he will soon have TO retreat to Bel
GUM"
Hank ye. Botolf," said Dis Jonval, IF /
could get a note 20 Pichegru he would be
SURF to procure my release by iutercession
with the stakeholder, possibly by exchang-
ing a prisoner for me. Now will you do
me a good turu-give me pen, ink and pa
per, and Hfterward smuggle the note
through the line 10 the French general"
Il could do that easily enough" the
jailer said. thoughtfully. My brother is
turning a pretty penny now by supplying
Piche -ru with fresh provisions, but'-And
be hes.tAted.
DO not fear, what possible Information
can l, a poor. helpless prisoner. convey to
PiChegruf"
THAT is true" the jaiIer said 1T +. a
bargain"
Great was the astouishmeut Of the
French general TO receive a note dated
from the prison Of Utrecht. And what did
the note contain'
\ simple explanation about the spider,
who had not appeared for three days, and
the writers headache. Within a week he
predicted a hard frost and prayed Pichegru
not TO fall back.
The general knew Dis Jouval; he resolved
TO wait "a week, and then, true prophet. o
spider! tEers came the hardest frost that
Holland had known for 100 years. The
waters were bound with an icy chain. The
French advanced, Utrecht fell and Di.
Jonval was released. To the spiders warn
ing the prisoner OF Utrecht owed his re
lease.-Atlanta Constitution
Don't Throw Up the spOnEeI
That hideous ogre. Giant Despair, oftei
ughtens bis clutch upon the chronic in
valid. Constantly plagued by dyspepsia
biliousness and cons,ipation-ueryous an
sleepless too-wbat wonder is II that hay
ing tried in vain multitude OF useles