Rensselaer Union, Volume 6, Number 35, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 May 1874 — Potato-Bugs. [ARTICLE]

Potato-Bugs.

On the 19th of July last Mr. Michael Collins, while engaged in digging potatoes on the farm of-T;Tait, Esq., captured a number of potato-bugs and put them in an empty bottle, closing the mouth to prevent their escape. He placed the bottle by a post on the ground, making the remark that he would ascertain “how long the‘critters’would live, anyhow.” The summer passed away and the winter followed, bringing no thought of the incarcerated bugs. Last week, in passing, Mr. Collins observed the bottle andj picked it up. It contained the intact though motionless forms of the potato-top destroyers. In the caprice of the moment he took the bottle to the house and held it over the fire. Immense was his astonishment on perceiving the bugs take to themselves legs and walk. In a few moments the interior of the bottle was a writhing mass ofColoradoß. Eight months without food, exposed to the extremes of sumgaer and winter, and still living. This statement is fully vouched for and shows what a foe fanners and potatoes have to contend against.—Joliet {III.) Signal.

Couldn’t Bluff Her. —Among the waiting passengers at the Central depot were a widow woman and five children, and by-and-by a man who was waiting for the same train opened a conversation with the widow and soon remarked that he’d like to marry just such a little woman. “Here, Susan, hold this satchel!” said the woman, turning to her oldes daughter, sad then, reaching for the man’s wm, she continued: “ I’ve been looking for you about five years!” Everybody shouted and jumped in glee, and when the scapegoat backed flat down they said he ought to be dumped in the river.—Detroit Fret Press.