The herald., 1898-08-14

little spiders, numbering millions accord
Ing to some accounts, floated over al por-
ton Of Fresno county a few years ago.
Part of them descended and festooned ev-
cry object In the neighborhood with their
gossamer balloons. Perhaps the myth
of the old woman in the nursery rhyme who
tried "to sweep the cobwebs out OF the
sky" was founded on fact.
AS Weather Prophets
Spiders are good weather prophets. A
French prisoner named Disjouvel made
friends of the spiders which inhabited his
dungeon, and watched their habits to such
good purpose that he foretold the weather
which enabled the French army to win
great victory In 1894. He was rewarded by
being released from prison and afterwards
wrote a book upon the habits of his COM
panions. For pleasant weather the spl-
ders have long, swaying threads for the at
tachments of their webs. But when there
Is a prospect of rain or wind they shorten
the flaments from which the web Is sus-
pended and leave things in that state as
long as the weather is variable. If the
spider elongates its threads the weather
will be fair and calm.
Anecdotes of Spiders
Spiders will sometimes respond to
friendly advances. st. Louis bachelor
sat at a table in his room writing letter.
A big black spider heard the scratching of
the quill pen and peered over the edge of
the table to see what kind of an insect was
making the queer noise. Approaching
closer, the writer took a straw from a
broom and gently drew 1t over the SPIDERS
back and legs for few minutes. when 1t
went away. Next evening, however, 1t re-
appeared and went through the same an
tics with the broom straw, evidently en-
joying the fun. This was kept up all win
ter, the big spider coming out regularly
every night for frolic with the broom
straw.
Spiders are fond of music. A prisoner
of state who was permitted to cheer the
solitude of his dungeon by playing upon
q flute, discovered after awhile that when
ever he played number of spiders imme-
diately gathered around him. On another
occasion large spider descended from the
ceiling in front of a violinist and remained
until he finished his exercises, when 1t re-
turned to its own quarters. 1t afterwards
repeatedly visited him In the same manner
when he was practicing on his violin.
Little Miss Muffet sat on a tuffet
Eating of curd and whey,
Along came spider and sat down beside
her
And frightened Miss Muffet away.
And great pity It is that she was so
easily frightened, for If she had watched
her little neighbor for few moments she
would have discovered not only that the
much maligned insect was entirely harm
less but that 1t was really very interesting
and could be very entertaining.
Whether swinging in a silken hammock
woven by itself, or hiding in silk-lned
tunnel with a trap-door ingeniously hinged
at the entrance, or dwelling in fairy pai-
ace constructed like a diving bell at the
bottom of a shallow pool, or gliding over
the surface of the water as you would
move over n smooth floor. or gaily sailing
down the stream on its miniature raft of
leaves, or peering from its 1ace-lke web
in nook of the vine-clad porch, or emil
grating to other climes in It's airy, gossa-
mer balloon, this little creature is always
interesting and Is ever teaching lessons
Of encoura cement and wisdom to thought
full observers of its strange ways and
habits. VIM. II. KNIGHT.