A TRIBUTE TO THE FLY.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1587, 2 November 1912, Page 11

A TRIBUTE TO THE FLY.

(By Mrs. John Lane, in 'the -Westminster. .-"; : -.:'' - .' '■• Gazette") /' :. ,-'- , : . ;' ■ This summer.of dreariness and rain has taught me an unexpected-lesson of oharity/ .'• -.'.'■■— l miss the fly. ~ /-/.r/-.-.'.. "..■'.'.■:■ .■'■/.-' ■; The fly, everybody knows, is 1 the most unpopular insect, with ,the exception of; the mosquito, to be found on the face of the earth. It is tho Ishmiiel of./■ insects, : : against whom the .Governments-of -. the ':■ earth,/', suburban-'and -county councils, •;ffiedical associations, explorers, the micro- ■•';. scopes of science, tho/viflegar and; sugar, -of the lowly, and the molasses shingles of \the great-American Republic are/banded .''.'•". together for. its utter extermination." I dare say they are right/ -I am told many unpleasant'things are the result of the '•". fly.; Thave myself suffered' agony fronr his too.persistent attentions:when -I; have 'tried to take a nap and he wouldn't let V me. : He has pursued my expression even behind a newspaper, and'then, being ap•parently lost in-thought, he has lured:me to strike him dead;with the only weapon handy. I never hit him, but I lose! all further-desire for/a, nap.'•■■■/: .'.'.."'.-.■ ..'.'' '•■ My.;own impression; is that'the fly is -the; only, winged boast ,:with a., sense, of . humour; as such 1.. forgive him a great deal.]. Humour suggests'superior.intellectual powers; hence,lrespect the fly.'x The way ' 7 he stands /on', one .toe, sharpens his; .'. weapons, .'and, 'with unerring aim, dis-:'■:-covers;.tho .pet spot where his victim is ■ most susceptible,. is one of. the most- interesting phenomena in. natural'history. The.way he''tickles: and junips off Justin .': timeto escape a vengeful hand-is enough to mako:tlie; : philosopher.with.a;sense ■ of •'• : -'iv:nBmow;.r©joiM.''.Ii.'.,this'tra'B|6;.:Wbrld'6ne. . must'encouriige':everything that makes us "laugh. ■'." /' ■■'>'■■:,■■■:: .'. './." p-/ •' 'v <Vv. -""> Onemust also '■: give /credit 'to.-the fly •'■ 'for .his (Splendid' curiosity.'' iHe'.is'/. the scientist /of insects./ Ho/is 'the .ex-plorer.' . He.penetrates into everything, ho matter : how-nasty:or how beautiful.., God/knows .what would become of-us'.if it wore/not :" for his fervid curiosity; ..It has, it must be confessed, given him a.very bad name,; and it.might be as, well if'-Eugenics, could his too successful; family ties. '■"His/life is.short, but.tremendonslyVi.in- -,: teresting. ! He is Us own great-grandfather, and his own great-grandson.,- His persistent, : high soprano voice, which so dis- '• t'«rbs.:the unreasonable ./on.hot: summer .■iffernbons,/is.only-the sprightly and enwhich he holds at f top speed'whenihe meets his/wives, his. ... -cousins, and his/ grandparents'• '/.on .the: ' ■ ,windowrpane,;to.;whom he .has to impart '"■'. Ecandal,,.historyr worries,, pleasures, and : the involutions of the family pedigree, before he gives .up the joy oMiving: after ; , twilight,.either in.wap and. water, • fly-• ' toaper, treacle : trapsi or that monument of- ''■ duplicity-ra. glass -jar, into which 'he: is, ■.'..■: lured by.vinegar.and sugar. Surely-these' ■-:' are ungenerous traps to catch so.great ahumorist! /--y .j-.; .:,.■-;.■.;■.,..;• .-, -Before..this.l: have.resigned myself .to/ his extermination.' I-have made remarks about/him which, in.these rainy,- dreary, ;'■: sunless days, I feel- were unjustified. .. I /. beg his pardon!.':; " • I realise /now that he ; is ' not only the humorist/of Nature, but her sweet singer." It is a/flyless summer,: alas! .The'hear? air is'nntouched by his buzz. 'We-all '- miss, him;': No'.more.,"does,he'/play/ hide-and-seek with/ the/-horses' ■ears and.-: play::fully /bite', their'':.noses, ."or. spend. ■ his / holidays- on the/' v b'ac& '.df.the./Mws'and' '• oxen.: /:'• "%\ ;'"'/,.. Xv-v '-:•■ : A . v '■'• ■'\v.X ■■ X- ■...' .Still, I realise/that; ,h'e,' , ;tbo,/../'ha3. /his. trials,' and'^he has7.possibly,/i - etifed:behihd. ■ . the soggy, 1 dripping/leaves Ha /brood over them./ of, the awful: disappoint-') ■inerit to the/.fly when/the motor first came in!' One/can imagine tow. he cleaned' his ■legs/" and ..sharpened his little knives/and- •-. winked and'grinned-before, his. firtt on-, elaught on this .'unknown 6teed.'. What .-.' / heroic effort he must have made to'sting him;/-.to tickle.hini, and to goad him to madnessl-I.Then/ the '.-stunned.; surprise when:he'found that the/motor only tooted ' cheerfully and never turned a hair!' Don't say a ; Ay. h a s'-no disappointments!:., Still he has;.work.-to- do,.for-eve,ri.'science has not yet irijentpd.a.cast-irohjco'w; He can'- ■■ tickle' tha. f c^j^'^gra v 4ng/'ihV' [ (;he' ; "'rflead'o>s, . iust'out of-reach,.:of their, exasperated tails...'.'.; ■•.."•.* •/■'•- .■'■. • -'.-'My.goodness, yes; there are still plenty ' of. odd/jobs .left, for -an- enterprising■ fly.I iwish I. could urge him "not to be/■ discouraged. I.domiss'him.-Itjsn't summer; without a fly; it/isn't a real summer day' _, without his droning.- It isn't a real' summer day unless.one-fans : and fans to drive him away.../ It isn't, summer .without .that humorous song, always 1 ■ ih'one key. ■/•': '. '■;.-.'■■' , It" is so rainy 'and dreary, and i clouds ...lie heavy and grey on/the" hills. It isn't summer at all, and 1 haven't seen a fly, ©ven.in the milk./ ■:■••.'■. ./■)•..'•/.