Democratic Sentinel, Volume 19, Number 23, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 14 June 1895 — Wasps as Pets. [ARTICLE]

Wasps as Pets.

A young woman residing near Monroe, La., has a pulr of pet wasps which are as interesting as they are unique in their way. She has trained them to perform a great many wonderful tricks, and it is indeed marvelous to what degree of Intelligence and agility her kindly care and patient perseverance have brought them, Aa the young lady is an invalid,she manages to get a great deal of diversion from her queer little pets. Among other things she has taught them to drink wu,ter from a thimble and to perform the skirt dance as she calls it, by fluttering their wings as they rest on tho palm of her hund. They will sing at her bidding, making a faint, almost inaudible cheep, and seem to be passionately fond of music. The young lady is quite a musician, and when she plays a piano the wasps take up their positions on the music rack and never budge until the performance Is over. The wasps would seem to have quite a good deal of vanity, and nothing delights them more than to be allowed to walk about and inspect themselves in the little hand mirror which is kept for their exclusive use. Strange to say the wusps have never been known to attempt to sting anybody, although they have free access to all parts of the house, and are seldom confined, even at night.