Rensselaer Union and Jasper Republican, Volume 8, Number 32, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 27 April 1876 — The Trained Spider. [ARTICLE]

The Trained Spider.

The most celebrated insect trainer in France was a certain Monsieur Van Preulx. While others devoted their energies to the task of subduing the savage instincts of lions and tigers, or to that of charming poisonous serpents, this gentleman bestowed his efforts on a spider—one of that black, hairy kind, the mere sight of which causes a cold shiver to run down one’s back; 1 In order to relieve the ugliness of the creature, or perhaps to heighten it by the force of contrast, M. Van Preulx kept his captive in a large watch-case of gold, with a covering or top of crystal. This spider was trained to indicate the hour of the day, to point out the greatest coquette in the room,.and to distinguish certain musical notes. By exhibiting the wonderful insect, M. Van Preulx amassed a considerable sum of money; but he died just at the time when he proposed to retire and enjoy it. His heirs met to divide the fortune, and not knowing what else to do with the spider, they agreed th<s it should be set at liberty. They opened the case, but it did not stir. They pushed it with a stick, but it would not move. It was evidently dead. It had died at the same time as its master. The doctor deemed this a most extraordinary case of sympathy. Who ever before heard of a spider dying in consequence of the decease of a man? They determined to write an account (a memoir, as the French call it) and present it to th,e Academy of France. There was, however, one of the heirs who was not content that the insect should be thus disposed of. It had brought much money to M. Van Preulx; why might it not bring some to him t . He took it out of its case and examined the mysterious creature, and to his amazement discovered that it. had never been alive. It was made of India rubber. M. Van Preulx had deceived the people, who, as the proverb says, like to lie deceived. He had caused the spider to go through certain motions by mechanism, and nobody cared to look very closely at so disgusting a creature. — Youth's Companion.