Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1884-01-12

darted DIS tongue at me IN the most
fearful manner. A
agreed, J" said great fat spider,
which sat in his let, surrounded by
the dead bodies of half dozen in
sects, ''sgreed, for the blood thirsty
savage takes delight in destroying
the fruits of my honest labors on
all occasions
"By all MEANS" buzzed great
blue bottle fly, for he will not let me
tickle his nose, of a hot summer day,
though be must see with half an eye
that it gives me infinite satisfaction"
"Kill him." cried little ant, that
ran foaming and fretting about at
furious rate, skill him without
mercy, for he don't mind treading
me into a million of atoms, bit
more than you do killing a fly" ad-
dressing the spider. "The less you
say about that, the BETTER" whisp-
cred the spider.
"Odds fish |" exclaimed a beauti-
full trout, that l should like very
much to have caught, popping bis
head out of the brook, 'Odds fish !!
kill the monster by all means; hook
him, say, for he entices me with
worms, and devours me to crafty
his insatiate Appetite"
ITO be sure" said a worm, "kill
him as he sleeps, and I'll eat him af-
terwald; for though I am acknowl
edged on all hands to be his broth
er, lie impales me alive on hook,
for bis Amusement.
81 CONSENT" cooed the dove, "for
he has deprived me of my mate, and
made me a disconsolate widow"
Upon which she began TO mourn so
piteously that the whole assembly
deeply sympathized ia her forlorn
condition
"He has committed a million Of
MURDERS" cried the spider. "He
browns all my Kittens" mewed the
cat. He tramps upon me without
mercy,i' whispered the toad, "only
because I'm no beauty" HE is a
tfeacherous, cunning villain,'' bark
ed the fox. "He has 10 more mer
cy than WOLF" screamed the hawk.
"He is a bloody tyrant," croaked the
eagle. HE is the common enemy
of all nature, and deserves hun
dred and fifty thousand DEATHS" ex-
claimed they all in one voice.
l began to be heartily ashamed OF
myself, and was casting about how 1
might slid away from hearing these
pleasant reproaches; but curiosity
and listlessness together kept me
quiet, while they continued to dis
cuss the best mode of destroying the
tyrant. There was, as is usual in
such cases, great diversity of opir-
ion: se
"I'll bury my talons in his brain,'
said the eagle. "I'll tear his eyes
OUT" screamed the hawk. "I'l
whip him to death with my TAIL"
barked the fox. "I'll poison him.
said the spider. "I'll sting him
home," Kissed the snake. "I'll n.y.
blow him." buzzed the fly. "I'll
drown him, If he'll only come into
my brook, SO will" quoth the
trout.
sI'll drag him in my hold, and do
his business there, I warrant" said
the ant; and thereupon there was
giggle among the whole set. "And,
I'll-I'll" said the worm. what
will you do, you poor Satan ?" ex-
claimed the rest in a litter. "What
will do Why I'll eat him after
he's dead,' replied sir worm; and
then he strutted about until he un-
YEARLY came 80 near that he slipped
in the brook, and was snapped up in
a moment by the trout.
The example was contagious. 80,
you are for that sport, p" mewed the
cat, and clawed the trout before he
could get his head under water. Tit
for tat" barked Reynard, and he
snatched pussy up in his teeth, and
was off like shot. "Since that is the
fashion, said the spider, "I'll have
a crack at that same blue bottle, -
and thereupon he nabbled the fy in
a twinkling. "By your leave" said
the toad, and snapped up the spider
in less than no time. "You ugly
thief Of the world, !" Kissed the rat
tlesnake in great wrath, and indig.
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