The Plague of Flies. 33 



Mothers and fathers of America, consider what must 

 be the moral influence of sticky fly-paper upon your sons 

 and daughters. \Yhat boots it if you teach them the sub- 

 , lime truths embodied in : 



" I love little I'ussy, her coat is so warm, 

 And if I don't hurt her she'll do me no harm," 



so long as you yourselves set the example of laughing at 

 the miseries of helpless creatures whose only fault is a 

 weakness for drowning in the cream pitcher? 



But by and by the word seems to be passed around : 

 ; Beware yon glittering expanse," and then, put the fly- 

 paper where you may, seldom, very seldom, shall you hear 

 the sharp note of some spent buzzer in his agony. Sticky 

 fly-paper, too, has a way of curling up and of flopping, 

 sticky side to, on things and persons, and in such case it 

 is a very unfunny affair. Alcohol will dissolve the gum 

 if you should happen to come downstairs in the dark 

 and knock off the fly-paper and step on it with your bare 

 feet. I tried alcohol, and it took the stuff right off. I 

 thought you might like to know. I was going to try 

 kerosene, but it was in the cellar-way. 



I didn't care to walk so far. 



If yon burn insect powder in an old tin pan, it will kill 

 mosquitoes. A person, I mention no names, tried it to 

 kill flies. It made the house smell like Fourth of July, 

 though quieter. The flies went about their business as 

 usual, and never so much as coughed. Two or three 

 alighted on the edge of the pan. 'Hello!' said one. 

 ; What's this? Something new? Say, where was you 

 yesterday? I was lookin' for you all over." It never 

 feazed them. Lavender flowers scattered about, they say, 

 will discourage flies. Don't you believe it. They won't 

 do anything of the kind. At the soda fountains, though, 



