The Redwood gazette. [volume] (Redwood Falls, Minn.) 1873-1940, 1900-11-28

sssss
I al fhiss raised end 4 laree black ant
was working &C something.
III the spider sees the ant thought
Fred. ''there'll be fun.
And sure enough the spider soon
gave signs OF having spied this tempt
ing dinner. The ant apparently did
not see the spider sneaking toward
him. When the spider had reached
a point almost foot away from the
ant. be stopped and seemed to look at
his prey for several minutes. Then he
ran backward some six or eight inches
for with their strangely constructed
legs these spiders can run backward
as easily as forward-and made wide
detour. coming toward the ant froL,
another quarter. But VIII he was
again within a foot Of his prey he stop
ped and looked, as general might
! look through his fieldglass to find the
best point Of attack upon an enemy.
Then the spider backed off as before
and made another detour. Thus he
continued making scalloped course
around the ant until he came to the
point where the stick was imbedded
in the earth. Then he crawled upon
the stick, which was broader than his
body, and began walking up 1t toward
| the elevated end under which the ant
was working SO busily that he did not
! seem to suspect the presence of a
dreadful enemy. Every now and then
the spider stopped and seemed to Fred
! to peep over the edge Of the stick to
make sure of the ants position. AS he
neared the point directly over the ant
he crept with the utmost caution, and
at last. when he had made ready. by
] fastening an end Of web securely to
the stick these spiders do this so that
they may climb back If need bel, he
! settled himself several times as a cat
settles herself for a spring. and quick
| as a fash was upon the unsuspecting
ant. graphing him tightly in his long.
| Larry legs.
The struggle that followed was dis
appointment to Fred. The great bulk
Of the spider completely covered the
ant from view, and after few slight
upheavals, as If the ant were making
his last desperate effort to free himself
from the merciless grip. all became
quiet For as much as half an hour
the boy watched the insects, for he
wished tc know what the spider was
going to do with the ants carcass
And as boys generally sympathize with
the under dog, so Fred sympathized
with the poor little ant. He could not
help admiring the shrewd generalship
of the spider, but it seemed a mean
sort Of thing to pounce on the ant from
this vantage point without giving him
the least chance to save himself, and
besides, the spider was more than ten
times as big as the ant. Fred was now
sorry that he had not pushed the spider
off and given the ant chance to stand
up for fair fight or at least to have q
try at foot race.
After long. long time the spider be-
gan to loosen the murderous grip in
whtcn he had held his prey. and as the
long hairy legs Strengthened away Fred
knelt down close and got peep under
the SPIDERS big body. The ant was lying
! fiat upon it's back. Farther and far
Their the spiders legs spread until they
met above his back. Fred had never
| before seen a spider do this. so he bent
down closer to see what it meant. Then
the strangest thing of all happened.
The spider, with all his eight legs
raised above his back. rolled over on his
side. and Fred saw not only that he
was dead. but that the ant had cut
him open and scooped everything out
of him, leaving only the empty skin in
the outward form of a spider. So. aft
er all. the boy had wasted hisfsympa-
thy on the poor little ant, who seemed
to be amply able to take care of him
self. And when the little black fellow
began dragging the great hulk Of the
dead spider across the road. over the
mountains and through the valleys
made by hoofs and wheels. Fred's ad-
miration for the ants enormous
strength was aroused. and he said to
himself:
Gee! II could lift a load like that.
could walk OF with a house."
Then he added. well, the ant has
got his Thanksgiving dinner all right"
And this brought back to his mind the
thought Of his own errand, so he set
out again for the market. But, though
he did not think he had spent much
time watching the ant and the spider
! and though he ran us fast as he could.
the market was closed for the day
when he reached It,
1t was long, unhappy trudge back
home for Fred. He did not take the