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BIG HAIRY SPIDER STORY
A Spider Died and Children Wept
She was not an ordinary house spider that unkind people squish with their feet.
She was named Beezus, and for twenty years, she delighted the children at Warwick, Rhode Island’s Public Library with her calm presence. In August of this year, she died.
Children who read may recognize Beezus from the Henry Huggins and Ramona series. You and I may need a child to explain the significance of the spider’s name.
If a library near me housed a tarantula spider, I would be as eager as the children who ran to her tank to see what Beezus was doing that day. I might not press my nose against the glass, but I would crouch down to examine her habitat and her. She was a quiet girl, barely moving, which made some of the children anxious about her health.
Beezus lived in a spacious tank (secured with a combination lock) containing a water dish, objects to climb on, and hiding places. Visiting children pressed their noses against the glass for a close view of the Chilean Rose Tarantula. Despite her size (about 5 inches), she was a fragile creature who could be hurt by improper handling and could inflict a painful bite if frightened.