Reporter and farmer. [volume] (Webster, Day County, Dakota [S.D.]) 188?-1946, 1895-11-14
THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
INTERESTING READING FOR BoYs
AND GIRLS.
The Trnp-Door Spiders Queer Little
Home I'm the Earth shut Fast
Against I~ntruders-A story of joe
JeTcrson-Trick with Fire.

OF all the curious occurrences In this
wonderful world, one of the most COM
ical is suddenly to behold a small, cir
cular piece Of earth rise at your feet,
revealing a round hole, with a black,
hairy head protruding therefrom in a
cautious, knowing way. Your sur
prise keeps you ~nlotionless, and so the
spider throws wide open the little
door, and marches boldly forth. Once,
you know,
There came a big spider
And sat down beside her,
And frightened Miss Mullett away;
but, in your case, 1t Is your funny
little visitor who becomes panic
stricken, and suddenly yanishes into
the earth. Then you wonder what 1t
al means, and begin 10 search for
your comical visitors place Of retreat.
But to find It is not an easy task, for
SO ~cleyerly has the fat little work
woman concealed her gate, that, even
after the most careful search, you are
unable to detect a single spot where
the surface Of the soil appears to
have been disturbed; 30 you do the
wisest thing in your power-go quiet
ly back to your seat and remain there
In perfect silence. BY this time you
have rightly suspected your shy visit
or to be the trap-door spider, and you
also may be aware that the night,
which is rapidly approaching, will
lure her again from her home In
search of her evening meal. When the
trap door once more shows itself by
being lifted, you understand why you
could not find 1t before. The cunning
spider had covered 1t with moss, so
that, when shut, no trace Of It was
visible. This time silence is your
motto; not a muscle must be stirred:
q moment more and that queer little
house will be at your disposal-ah,
that was an unlucky eez
Back pops your fat friend and down
goes the door in a fash. Never mind;
there is no harm done, after all, for
this time you have marked the spot,
and car pursue your Investigations.
Open the door first, and look into
the home that 1t guards; but bow
difficult It Is to open that door! You
succeed in lifting 1t gently about an
eighth of an inch, just enough to see
the tenant hastily hooking her hind
legs 10 the silken lining OF the trap
and her fore legs to the sides Of the
tube itself. and then you are aston
ished to find the little door jerked
from your fingers and closely shut
again. On returning to the attack you
are again bafied. The sturdy house
holder defends her premises with n
desperate strength; so determined is
her opposition, indeed, that you finally
desist lest the delicate hinge of the
lid should be broken In the struggle.
Failing to take her house by storm,
you trv mining. and carefully set TO
work to dig away the earth around
the long cylindrical nest which you
know extends below that funny door.
Even this does not drive the spider to
desert her home. Actual violence must
be employed before this faithful free
holder will yield up her h~ard-earned
burrow. And when she is finally
forced to this extremity your heart
fails you and you almost regret driv-
ing the brave little tenant away
Helen Harcourt in November st.
Nicholas.