Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1907-07-06
BUTTERFLY JIMMY.

SO fast that his feet barely touched the
ground. His ragged straw hat was pushed
back from his warm flushed face. and
sweat poured down his cheeks in little riyu-
let's. Jimmy's home was in Chicago. fully
three miles away. Jimmy was scurrying
along the edge of the Despiaines river. 1t
was a radiant afternoon; there was smell
of newly turned earth In the air. q carpet
Of cool. thick grass underfoot. In the trees
along the river sparrows were building
making love to each other quite boldly
But Jimmy had lost interest in these things
A half hour before he had been lying on
hts back under the trees keeping an eye
on a swarm of butterflies near, and trying
to see how many clover stalks he could pull
up between his bare toes. Then he noticed
something On the underside Of a clover
leaf. Other boys would not have seen it.
but JimIny's eyes were trained to that sort
Of thing. He jumped up and picked the
clover leaf Sure enough. there were six
oblong little green balls stuck in q row on
the underside of the clover leaf. Jimmy
examined them carefully. and then he Grew
small paper box from his pocket.
This box had hole in the lid, with bit
OF fine gauze pasted over. Jimmy carefully
stripped the six green balls from the leaf
into the box and shut them up tight. then
to his feet and danced a Jig and waived
his old straw hat above his head.
:, If those are not the eggs Of the 'delicta.'
then my name amt Butterfly Jimmy nor
His face was shining. There was no
doubt about it; the six green balls were
something very precious to James Agassiz
Wilson.
Now this Is what 1t all meant: Jimmy
lived along with his grandfather. James
Wilson. the entomologist. Grandfather Will
son was learned old man: For forty
years he had made a study Of insects and
had collected material for a book on Amer
lean butterflies. He got his living mainly
by making collections Of rare insects and
al f,D f,k. Il -
interested In such things Grandfather did
not mind being poor: he only regretted
that he had not money to publish his book
on American butterflies. That would make
him quite happy.
Three hundred dollars would satisfy mo
very WE'LL he said to Jimmy that morn
ting.
Jimmy was always with his grandfather
and had learned to know most butterflies
and their eggs by sight Ever since the
boy could recollect they had been keeping
a sharp lookout for two butterflies, a spe-
c1es Of the great sulphur butterfly and an
other tropical insect.
81 have an offer Of 500 apiece for them
II should find them in this latitude" said
Grandfather Wilson. 'Only one had been
found in this country. Remember. if you
should ever discover these. my boy. either
one would make us rich and famous"
TIL hunt for 'em every day" said Jimmy.
"Oh, no; just keep your eyes open."
LAUGHED Grandfather Wilson. There's
really not one chance in a thousand that
We can find those butterflies this far north
Here. today. idling along the Desplaines
river. Jimmy believed he had found the
eggs of the "delicta'' or great sulphur but
terfy. The butterfly itself must be some
where near: once catch that butterfly and
grandfather would be $500 richer. No won
der that Jimmy seemed to fairly fly toward
home.
possible he would catch the great sulphur
and say nothing to grandfather until he
really had 1t to show him. If the eggs
were really those of the great sulphur they
would hatch in about twelve days. Six but
TEXTILES at 500 each! The thought made
Jimmys head swim. But then the eggs
might not hatch. At all events he must
look for mother butterfly and not worry
grandfather till he knew for sure.
That night Jimmy pretended to be very
tired and crept off to bed earlier than
usual He wrapped the box of eggs up
carefully in wool and set them in a mod
erately warm corner of the bureau drawer.
Then he began to make preparations for go
ing back to catch the great sulphur butter
fly.
Now there are two ways to take butter
flies: one is by smearing bait on trees
over night. The butterflies scent the bait,
steal out to sip 1t in the early morning and
are captured. The second way is chasing
them in the daytime and taking them in a
net on the end Of a long pole. Jimmy de-
cided to try both plans. He knew that but
terfles like the great sulphur are very
greedy for bait. So when grandfather was
sleeping soundly Jimmy stole down to the
workroom He got small pail and filled
1t with a mixture Of molasses and Jamaica
rum. Then he found brush and a net and
carried all these things upstairs. He was
afraid to sleep for fear that he would not
awaken early enough. Then he dressed,
took the pail of bait and the net and Slip
ped from the house like a burglar.
Once outside the night air drove the
sleepy feeling all away He pushed along
hafn ~ he
spot where he had been the day before on
the Desplaines river. 1t was 1ight enough
by that time fer him to see everything dis
tinctly. He dipped his brush in the mix
ture of rum and molasses and smeared
the trunks Of several trees In the neighbor-
hood. Then he sat down in sight OF them
and waited. In about half an hour Jimmy
walked around and looked at each tree
carefully There were a number Of moths
and a few butterflies, but none that re-
sembled the great sulphur. He put on
little more bait and waited patiently again.
second time Ne examined each tree care
fully, but was disappointed as before. Six
times JIMMY did this and on not tree
did he find an insect worth % cents. much
less $500
1t was now nearly 0 o'clock and the sun
rose high in heaven. IT'S no use." said
Jimmy to things in general. that 'delicta,'
II 1t ever was here. has curled up and died
these chilly nights"
He took up his pail. shouldered his net
and started for home, hungry, tired and
disappointed. All at once ne caught
CLINT of brilliant yellow Just over clump
Of blue bells. His heart was in his throat
In an instant. On came a pair of yellow
wings, making straight for the nearest
bated tree 1t was the great sulphur!
Jimmy gave a cry of delight. 1t settled
on the bark OF a tree. Sip, sip. sip greed
ily in few minutes the splendid butter
fly was sleeping peacefully in Jimmy's
glass jar!
Jimmy chloroformed her. and started for
home
About II o'clock very tired and dusty
boy limped into Grandfather Wilson's
workroom. Grandfather frowned.
Now, really" he began.
! ''Oh. grandfather. don't scold." painted
Jimmy. I've got the great sulphur! Now
you can print your book. and you-you'H be
fa-fa-mous!" and Jimmy almost tainted
from weakness and hunger.
1t was indeed the great sulphur. Grand
father sold her for more than $400 The
butterfly book is now being printed.
Unfortunately, only one of the butterfly
eggs Matched out. Grandfather intends to
sell the other one-and the money will be-
long to Butterfly Jimmy.
EflnnE