Waterbury evening Democrat., 1905-05-12

tracing, dividing and adding up columns until I hate the sight of fig. ures.
 Multiplication Is vexation.
 Division is as bad,
 The Rule of Three doth puzzle me,
 And Practice drives me mad"
 says the poet. You may laugh if you choose, but it was poet that said it; for if it is true it is beautiful, and if it is beautiful it is poetry; for poetry is both beauty and truth; and l testify that it is true; so there you are.
 Close beside my table there is win dow through which the southern sun streams from two o'clock until four, and through my window l look. out on a vista of empty freight cars. coal cinders and long stretches of iron rails gleam- ing in the hot sun or glistening in the rain. But it is not of the vista that am going to write; nor of the multipli- cation table. It is of the window. It is the dingiest window you ever saw. and yet wouldn't have it cleaned for any consideration (that is for any con- sideration that usually prompts people to the cleaning of windows).
 It is the home of number of friends of mine, and whole world of hopes and hates and fears and ambitions and passions and tragedies goes on among them all day long. They are only little brown spiders; but anyone who watched them closely and did not discern that they were very much like human be- ings must be dull-eyed and slow of mind. The window is barred on the inner side with iron rods (do not jump at the conclusion that I am in jail, please), which the spiders probably as- sume were placed there to serve as sup ports for their webs. ,Innumerable flies, gnats and tiny unclassified winged things throng to the sunlit window, ap- parently perfectly unconscious of the nets and snares that await them.
 Some of the spiders are so tiny that they look like notes hanging on their almost invisible webs; but they are all evidently of the same species, and these l take to be the babies of the commu- nifty. From the size of the head of a pin they range to that of large pea. Each one has his own separate web, the smallest no bigger in circumference than silver dollar. and with threads so 6ne that eyes grown dull by staring vim dictively at columns of figures can scarcely see them. Although they are 50 close to each other that when one Is touched by gnat it shakes the three OF four adjoining ones. only the spider whose net has actually made the cap- ture ever pays any attention to 1t. They appear to respect each others boundaries absolutely, even the very smallest making his capture and en- toying it unmolested by his neigh bor. who may be much bigger than him. self.
 The webs of the very little spiders are too weak to hold prey as strong as fly. so these very little fellows con- tent themselves with minute gnats, and ice in terror to crevices in the window sash when musca blunders into their homes and tears the fairy work to pieces with his buzzing wings. Some times kill fly, or disable him, so that he cannot struggle much, and care fully place him in the web of one of the little spiders. but the small owner runs away all the same. and will rather make a new net in another place than return to the old one while the dan gerous intruder remains believe 1t is not generally known that each thread of spiders web is covered with a very glutinous matter. and when the web is newly spun whatever touches it sticks. A gnat or fly is not entangled. It is simply caught as if by bird lime. and its struggles. by jerking the thread, ap- prise the spider of the capture.
 Many of my spiders are really too lit- tie to have ever captured anything. and am quite sure have been witness to several first experiences. hate mos ouitoes. They make great white bumps wherever they bite me, and there are far 1t is my great pleasure to watch one of them alight on my hand. and just as he has braced his ugly legs, thrust out his poisoned dagger and bored into me, to smite him gently but frmly-not kill him. but only to crumple him up bit so that he cannot fly and still can kick wig orously. Then I take him by one wing and delicately touch him against the web of one of my small spiders-not one of the very tiniest, for they are afraid of anything larger than a midge. The mosquito sticks immediately to the gummy thread He kicks and whirls about in an ecstasy of well-deserved ter TOT. The little spider. sitting Jumped up and apparently asleep at the other end of the web. springs up and thrusts out all his legs. can actually see him quiver with excitement. He runs down the web until he is an inch from the mos quito. stops and jerks the thread sharp ly half a dozen times. The mosquito fiutters again. The little spider goes quite wild He doesn't dare to rush on the prey. but jerks the threads. until be- tween the two the net seems in danger of being torn to pieces. Sometimes fear gets the better of him. and just as he is about to touch the mosquito he turns and rushes frsnticelly away to hide in crevice. In a moment he is out again. however. as if ashamed of his covsrdice. He advances resolutely. jerking the