The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1869-06-06
JUVENILE COLUMN o 4
THE aaREAT NRnMcNiBPIDER,
.41I4 sfeersEel. otPAfD 1Petsa

Una almost forgot hef' vearfand ah9ia all
this strange sheautys and music. But opce
OF twice she had seen something sparkling
under q leaf. that looked like a diamond,
and had reached down to seize it,; but the
little thread wShld not let her wait to see,
the very heart of the forest + and then it
stopped her suddenly, in o very mossy seat
under q green tree, and Una sat down TO
rest, for her long walk had wearied her. IL
A sunbeam had slipped down through
the dancing leaves and caught something
bright in it's ray, that sparkled and glinted
before her eyes; and there, woven be-
| tween the tiny twigs, was q great spiders |
| web; but the threads Were golden instead
| of grew. and in the midst or it, as if @ great |
dewdrop had fallen from @ leaf and caught |
| there was the precious diamond.
Filled with wonder and JOY, Una sprang |
! up and touched it with her finger, to be !
sure that it was really a diamond, and not
a dewdrOp; and it fell into her hand, Q, 4
solid, sparkling stone, and there conld be
no doubt that it was the very one the LADY
had lost, for diamonds did not grow IN the
4 woods. But how II came to be IN q spider's
web was q mystery; and then, spiders that
|, While she was wondering how these
things could be, ,she noticed a great black
, spider swinging By one OF the golden
lthreads, and thought it looked like the one
!. Ishe had rescued from the children that
upon it the spider vanished, and left in it's
place dainty little lady, no taller than Q
primrose, who swung herself down to the
Ell green, messy sward with q laugh as music
al as a birds twitteI. t1saH}ifk ~i1,f7 =
Una sbrank- back into the shadow as far
rs ever she could, for she could not heip
feeling n little fear of her, though her face
was as sweet as a summer morning. buI
the small body ran up to her very feet, and
# lifting her saucy little eyes, that looked
- f,yNf la r,pa ont OF Hover
: Ecup, to Una's poor little frightened face,
babe her q merry " good morning" Then
swinging the little jeseled wand she held
in her hand, she began to dance gaily III
her little green slippers, to the time OF .
e low, sweet waltz music that awoke sudden
is ly, as if some tiny band were blowing thell
golden horns and mellow flutes under
n ground; for never player was there tt
=, be seen, far or near. Then she paused anc
fitted again towards Una, who had no
quite forgotten her fear, with most friend
T. ly air. ,;..,o ~ -,
said; and her talking sounded like singing
l. 81 am your friend. Do you remember tn
it great black spider that you refused to XII
this morning, and, though it was so ugl =
n took it into your own hand that you migh
,b protect it from those cruel children Z"
- eyes" said Una, faltering' ~ remem
q "Well,n said the fairy, for she was n
Al other than one of these good little people
90 that spider was myself. I took that dis
al guise to come and see yeu-to see wha
he kind of children you all were in the cot
tage, though knew you before before IN,
on filed with surprise, for she knew that sh
had never seen the little lady, or any on
~ that resembled her at all.
,e n Yes,n said the fairy, have know
y you long--the little girl who is never crus
or unkind. i saw you once when 20
OF bound up the limb of a poor little sparrow
est and fed him from your own scanty suppe
and cared for him until he was able to fl
in, again. ] saw you carry poor ittlewoun
in ed fish back into the water. l see yo
Sc every day when you share your bread an
,o- milk with the poor starved cottage cat an
RI leave share of your soup for the dog.
- see how careful you are not to harm eve
one of the crowds of troublesome flies TIN
T." buzz about the cottage windows; and
nd, saw this morning that you would not har
er even great ugly black spider. Do "
think the fairies would miss finding o.
esst such a tender little heart as this 7"
nee Una listened to her in perfect amaz
lid ment; for she had always been taught tn
her caring for all these little animals al
-, insects was Stiffness, and her step moth
s ,,ne had whipped her without mercy once b
vas vas cause she refused to set trap for the lit
my bright-eyed mice, whose offense was Il
II theft of u nibbfe of cheese in-the Gotta
cal pantry. =.
'ne q 1t was !, y said the -Attle-lady, !" W
aye spun those threads across the path, to kel
out the wicked children who accompanl
Is you and it was who let you in aud Il
me you by the little thread to find the damon
ced which kent for YOU in the midst of I'll
web. But you will hardly need the rewa
hat which was offered for the lost gen." 8
us: added laughing. Hold out your arm, 1
the DEAR and you shall see gems that might
worth searching for"
Una did us she was hidden, and the fai
IAN, touched her wrist never 80 lightly with L
ana wand and before Una had time to thin
n bracelet was glittering therc-a brace
ue that glittered 80 that it almost dazZled L
eyes to blindness.
las- It was a network of tiny threads of go
tip Is fine as the spiders web, and every lit
k 2" loop was set with diamond, or pearl,
am n ruby, or some other most precious jew
o There were hundreds OF them, and N
they did blaze and shine
pts 'FThere," said the fairy, " these 1
q in yours, and you never will want any mo