Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1897-12-12
HER PETS BUTTERFLIES.
MIS- neye Feeds and Caresses Them
Till They Are Tame.
CNew York u

new York Evening Journal)
AiIs- Julia Meyer. a prominent member
OF the Woman's Suffrage League and the
Ladies Health Protective Association.
and who is also well known for her
phllanthropic doings, has succeeded in
taInlng q number of bright, ~gauze-Winged
In Mrs. Meyers home her pets autter
aoo9t her. aIighting on her shoulders and
mead with the utmost confidence and az
Iection for their fair mistress.
discovered my ability to attract but
home at Sea Gate said Mrs Never 70.
gay. They really belong TO nv country
mousse but | couldn't leave them there 10
Ile, SO transported them TO my city
They win not live long" she added.
regretfully. They only last three weeks
AT the best, and these I have now are
eDout ten days old. The country about
sea Gate Is a butterfty-ield, and / had
constantly as many as two dozen on
hand. AS they passed away from old age
pets.
How did I discover that I could tame
them?O One day two alighted on me at one
time. as though there were some special
attractive force. l took one of them at a
time, and as | breathed gently upon IL |
stroked the tiny velvet-covered back OF
the body with the tip of my finger.
Il noticed that when j did this the
wings were spread out and closed again,
as though with satisfaction. / repeated
the operation several times, and, to my
surprise the butterflies refused TO leave
me. and remained just where / placed
them. Their diet is sweetened water and
lettuce leaves"
Here Mrs. Meyer took a plate, a dainty
Dresden china affair, decorated in tints
as delicate as the hues Of the butterflies
wings. and, placing some sugar in the
centre OF the plate, she poured a little
water over IL.
Il will show you how 1 feed them" she
Here she began to gather them from
muslin window draperies. Taking them
up gently by the wings that were folded
together, as though to facilitate her eff
fort, she breathed on each one slowly. as
though, to hypnotic II, and then placed
1t on the rim of the plate. She continued
TO do this until sixteen OF the pets were
ranged about the circular plate, moving
deliberately and saying not a word. Slow
" each butterfly uncurled its long. thread
like proboscis and extended the feeder
into the sweet solution. The feast Of the
butterflies lasted about fifteen minutes,
during which time their tanner was silent.
When the proboScis of each was curled
up again Mrs. Meyer removed the butter
flies from the plate and placed them on
the neck OF the gown she wore. This was
also lone with great elaboration, at the
same time breathing gently from her
nostrils upon each.
Il preserve my beauties after they pass
away. and my case OF mounted butterflies
will possess an interest never invoked by
science. DO l name them? Yes. indeed 1
cali n Fanita, and one Juliet, and an
other Carissima. This lovely white-and-
yellow one is Narcissa. i have no reason
TO think they are conscious Of their
names. but l do know that they know
me. and me alone. l rave always been
able TO influence birds and dogs: in fact,
many animals, and all animals like me. l
can teach canaries to perform all sorts
of tricks. This. requires great patience and
mental concentration"