The Universalist. [volume] (Chicago [Ill.]) 1884-1897, 1886-12-04
SOME TINY SPINNERS,

SOME TINY SPINNERS,
One summer afternoon when Harry
and myself we're taking walk we sat
down to rest before gateway-the en-
trance to small enclosure. The gate
had itself, for some reason, been remov-
ed, but stretching from side to side, and
fastened to slight frame work above,
was to be seen beautiful curtain. 1t was
made not of lace,no of cotton or wool, but
of the finest silk 1t was woven in pattern
of good design, and was quite regularly
made.
Perhaps you may guess what was my
first exclamation: "See what pretty spi-
der's webb
"Isn't it?" Harry responded with en-
phasis, then, very naturally, for boys, you
know, are apt to think of things that do
not occur to grown people, he added: ~
wonder if it will stretch"
He suited, too, the action to the word.
Putting out one small finger he laid it on
the lower strand which fastened the web
to the gateway, somewhat as house on
the top of high mountain may be fast
ened with cables to the rocks. The
thread stretched considerably without
breaking.
"What good spinner the spider isl"
thought I. SIT makes for itself a beauti-
full dwelling Of thread so fine that the
best lace-maker might envy it's skill, and
yet, considering it's size, this thread is
very strong strong enough to make the
spiders lodge secure, though quite
high wind should blow. The mighty
God, our loving Father, who cares for the
smallest of his creatures, gave the tiny
spinner it's wisdom, teaching it bow to
weave for itself an abode fit, beautiful,
and comparatively strong"
Yet if Harry had pressed a little harder,
the graceful web, hanging so airiiy in the
gateway, might have been easily torn
apart. Or, had violent storm arisen, the
spider would soon have been compelled
to find some retreat in which to hide
from it's fury. Thinking of this remind
ed me of a. verse in the Book of Job
which says that the trust Of the hypocrite
is like spiders web. That is, one who
deceiyes himself and others by preten-
eions to goodness which he does not have,
will some day find that his hope of safety
is as frail thing as the gossamer curtain
which the spider weaves. 1t would seem
as though some spiders knew how very
destructible their slight nets are, for do
not all the weather prophets tell us that
when we see spider webs stretched
over the grass we may be sure of fine
day? Our wise spinners will not create
their gauze-like dwellings when these are
in danger of destruction by coming
rain. We all know, too, how persevering
some of the tiny weavers are. A certain
spider that came under my observation
spun a web on each of several successive
nights in particular spot in room OF
house. The web made at night was brushed
away every morning by the hand of care
full housekeeper, who got the best of the
intruder in the end. Solomon, you know,
mentioned four sorts of being which he
says are wise-ants, comics, locusts and
spiders. He gives reason in each case
for calling them so, and the proof of wis.,
dom which he attributes to the spider is
that she "taketh hold with her hands, and
in the kings palaces" The house spoke
of is not exactly palace, but the special
spider noticed showed wisdom in select
ing pleasant, airy room for its abode.
Mr.. Froude, the historian, in his book
called "Oceana; or, England and her Colo
, nies," tells US about some very useful
spiders that he saw at Melbourne, Aus
, tralia. These are there kept in the as
, Economical observatory. For what pur-
pose do you suppose? 1 am sure that
the brightest little head will find trouble
, in guessing. 1t appears that in making
) certain observations, "where the period at
: which a star passes this point or that
, must be noted to the fraction OF second
, the inner surface of the glasses used is
4 crossed by minute lines, dividing it into
/ rate of movement across the field. For
. these lines no thread is fine enough which
> man can manufacture. Spider web is
/ used, and not even this as the spider
: leaves it, for the spider makes rope, and
it is the strands of the rope, when untwist.
S ed, which alone will answer. The com.
mon spiders thread, such as we see him
L stretch from point to point on bush, is
: a rope Of eight strands, the untwisting OF
which to human fingers is a difficult oper-
J alton; but variety has been found al
: Melbourne whose thread has only three
strands, and the precious creatures are
l among the observatory's rarest treas
2 ures."
So we learn that even spiders may be
I useful Certainly, then, no child may say
l that he is too small or weak to do any,
3 thing for the good of human-kind.-In
q telhgencer