Evening star., 1932-10-13
THIS AND THAT
BY CHARLES E. TRACEWELL.

This "set-up" is exactly to the liking
Of another small member Of the order
Araneida. He seizes upon the angle
made by the spout and the upright of
the wooden stand. Between these two
he sets up his combination Of lines and
guy-wires and integral braces.
The gnomon of sundial. one might
think, would furnish heaven-sent
spot for a spider web, and SO 1t has
worked out. If dry spell ensues in
almost any Summer, spider Will be
sure to select this perfect place.
His web will be built from the tip OF
the pin to a point on the circumference
of the dial. If gnomon has the
usual inclination, he may spin his web
in the triangle thus formed.
Large yellow garden spiders, some
times striped with black, are those most
usually seen in the branches OF shrubs.
Mostly these are harmless animals, but
inclined to be very angry upon being
disturbed.
Some of them have curious habit
of shaking themselves back and Tor
ward in their webs when the lines are
touched in any way by human hand
Whether they stage this show OF mute
anger when the web Is touched by an
insect we do not know, never having
been fortunate enough to be at hano
when such an enmeshment took place.
Our personal belief is that this angry
show is reserved solely for human be-
ings, a sort of animal rage to frlgnten
off another animal. The spider perhaps
recognizes a fellow, such as man
whereas he knows we'll enough that an
insect Is his proper food and wastes no
time upon frightening 1t.
Some way the spider impresses tne
observer as quite the most silent OF all
dumb animals. so-called. 1t goes about
its tasks with such fidelity to the inter
national purpose of spiders and never
makes a sound in all its spinning. Some
of the varieties are large and burly
enough to make fair noises, one might
think. Crickets no larger fairly spnt
the atmosphere with their saving, graf
ing sounds. 4.
Evidently there Is no necessity IN
spiderdom for the incessant Dragging
and boasting which goes on among hu-
man beings, especially Americans. II
would seem at times that no tvplcal
inhabitant of the United States thinks
he can make any progress in lie unless
he tells all who will listen to him now
smart he is and how hard he works
One may wonder at times II this theory
is correct, but it seems to be very uni
yersally held. And these orasgarts,
these boasters. seem to be typical men,
bers Of the American colony. pent on
getting ahead" of making their marx
in life" of becoming forces in the
community
Unlike Napoleon's armies, which
"trayeled on their bellies" according u
the words of that gentleman. no smal!
boaster in his time. either, many Amer
leans of this era feel that they must go
through their years on the wings OF
much chatter, most Of it about them
selves.
They resemble these delightful young
women who come to the doors OF resi-
dences throughout the city in the in
terest of a thousand and one perfect
products.
These ladies have memorized a
speech.
They begin. they reel it off with
machine gu nrapidity, until the pros
pect" interposes word or two.
Then they stop.
They stop completely.
No matter how pertinent ones WORDS
are, they make no appeal whatever tc
/ the young lady with the memorlzeo
sales message.
/ Instead of replying or attempting tc
reply, she keeps silent.
The prospect looks at her. as much
as to say Let me hear you answer that
If You can?"
Does she answer it?
/ She does not! She begins right where
/ she left off with the very next word ano
/ continues from there.
If you were spider, she could treat
YOU with no more contempt. Sales re-
/ sistance. inCeed!