The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1897-08-18
TAME BUTTERFLY.
How Il was Kept, Trained and Fed fo'
Several Months.


How Il was Kept, Trained and Fed for
Several Msnslsf.
The butterfly seems TO be born and TO
die three times; but it is only case OF
progressive development accomplished
in the midst OF an apparent torpor. The
caterpillar already contains the rudl-
ments Of all the forms that it is to take
on in succession, The anatomist dlseov-
ers IN It three creatures, one encased
within the other; and the third is en-
yeioped In a double winding sheet
which It finally throws on. to appear In
all its beauty, says "our Animal
Friends,
one cold. bleak November morning.
when all nature wore the sullen aspect
OF the English climate at that season, q
lady that had Just risen from a bed OF
sickness vent into an adjoining apart
ment, where she was astonished and de-
limited TO perceive a beautiful butterfly
In the window AS the sun came out for
brief bright space, 1t fiuttered joyous
ly about the window, and impaired to
the Alck room an air OF cheertulness and
hone. Toward evening the tiny creature
dropped its wings. and the lady placed
IL in a glass tumbler on the MANTLE
piece. During the night hard frost
came on; the room was very cold, and
In the morning the butterfly lay In the
bottom Of the tumbler apparently dead,
The invalid, grieved that her gentle
companion OF the previous day should
so soon perish, made some efort to re-
store its fragile existence. She put II In
her own warm hand, and, breathing
upon IL, perceived that Il gave signs OF
returning animation; she then once
more placed It In the glass tumhler on
the rug before the fire.
Soon the little insect spread out Its
many colored wings and flew to the
window, where the sun was shining
brightly, BY and by when the sun re-
tired, the window panes grew cold, and
the butterfly sunk down on the carpet
again, apparently lifeless. The same
means were used to restore animation,
and with the same success.
This alienation OF life and death
went on for many days, TIL at last the
little thing became quite tame, and
seemed to be acquainted with Its bene-
factress, When she went to che WIN
dow and held out her finger, II would, or
It's own accord. hop upon II; sometimes
II would settle for an hour at time
upon her hand or neck when she was
reading or writing.
Its food consisted of honey. q drop of
which the lady would put upon her
hand, when the butterfly would uncurl
its sucker and gradually sip II up; then
1t usually slipped drop Of water in the
same way. The feeding took place only
once In three or four days.
In this manner its existence was pro-
longed through the whole winter and
part OF the following spring. AS 1t ap-
preached the end OF Its career. Its wings
became quite transparent and its spir-
its apparently detected, It would rest
quietly In the tumbler even when the
sun was wooing It to come out, and at
last. one morning In April, 1t was found
dead.
BY the transformation OF the butter
ny the Imaginative Greeks typiied the
change that takes. place tn man when
the soul passes from Its earthly exist
ence, enters upon spiritual life and
realizes the glories and splendors Of a
happy Immortality.