The Dupuyer acantha. [volume] (Dupuyer, Mont.) 1894-1904, 1895-12-12
THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
INTERESTING READING FOR BOYS
AND GIRLS.
The Trap-DOor Qu Ger Little
Home in the Earth Shut Fast
Against Intruders-A story OF Joe
Jefferson-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 ,eps you m~otionless, 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, it is your funny
little visitor who becomes panic
stricken, and suddenly vanishes into
the earth. Then you wonder what 1t
all means, and begin to search for
your comical visitors place of retreat.
But to find it is not an easy task, for
so cleverly 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: so you do the
wisest thing in YOU power-go quiet
~ "bGtth W Noul SNbI hhb Niiitti ~
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 nee more shows itself by
being lifted, you understand why YOU
could not find it before. The cunning
spider had covered it with moss, so
that, when shut. no trace of 1t Vas
visible. This time silence Is your
motto: not a muscle must be stirred;
a moment more and that queer little
house will be at your disposal-ah,
that was an unlucky SneeZe.
Back pops your fat friend and dow
goes the door in a flash. Never mind;
there is no harm done, after all, for
this time you have marked the spot,
and can pursue your Investigations.
Open the door first, and look into
the home that it guards; but how
difficult it is to open that door! You
succeed in lifting it gently about an
eighth of an inch, just enough to see
the tenant hastily hooking her hind
legs to 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 baffled. The sturdy house
holder defends her premises with Il
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 tC
work to dig away the earth arounc
the long cylindrical nest which yoI
know extends below that funny door
Even this does not drive the spider tt
desert her home. Actual violence mus
be employed before this faithful free
holder will yield up her hard-earnet
burrow. And when she is finally
forced to this extremity your hear
fails you and you almost regret driv
ing the brave little tenant away
Helen Harcourt i'll November 81
Nicholas.