Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1892-08-04

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persistency we often see in other than
spider nature.
"Drat the spider; wonder how many
times have brushed down his web -
said the maid as She demolished IT for
the third time, while Speek's bright
black eyes peered over the casing fas-
cinated by the close proximity Of the
broom. Within an hour he had re-
placed every beam and fiber Of his web,
and had caught a splendid fly Then he
went up to tell his mother and Scamper
about it, and to invite Scamper to come
down and share the fly
THAT broom viii be the death of you
vet: mark my words said the mother
spider You are getting too fat on the
flies you eat to run fast enough to escape
IT, You were far better OFF up here,
with no danger, and flies enough to
satisfy hunger, and not enough to make
you fat. just look at the stomach you
have; its enough to give you apoplexy
10 carry it about"
The next time Speck's web was de-
stroyed he decided to try new build
ing place. His mother begged him to
return 10 the attic, and settle down into
a calm and respectable life; but Speck
declared he should die of dullness in the
slow old attic, and that it would limit
/ his usefulness were he TO remain there.
II am destroying flies who annoy the
/ people below stairs, and if they do not
i know enough to appreciate my act, !
/ shall not be discouraged in well-dOing.
4 am going to try the window on the
/ other side Of the house now / think
there will he less disturbance there,
But even here Specks web was de-
/ stroyed three times in one week and at
i the end of that week "A terrible dis
! covery dawned upon him. He had ex
i hausted his ball Of web. There was not
I enough left TO enable him TO spin back
to the attic He sat in dark corner of
the window, and thought of his terrible
situation. He was like some reckless
youth who has spent fortune in few
years never thinking Of the possible
rainy days. and who at last faces the
fact that he is homeless and penniless.
Speck had been sitting in the dark
corner a long time, very motionless and
still when he saw Scamper coming
upon him As he watched the 1.-THE.
free motions Of his old comrade and
noted his care-free manner terrible
rage seized upon Speck
lie has lived in idlcness and feasted
upon my flies, he said to himself He
has encouraged me in my rash adven-
lures. always keeping out of danger
himself. He mas seen me use my web
rccklessly, and has guarded his own
like miser He is a false friend,
coward and a villain. | will have my
revenge. And before Seamper could
take any precaution, Speck had
sprung upon him and had fastened
his poisonous fangs in his slim
body. In moments time Scamper was
dead, and Speck had possessed himself
of his ball Of web Then he pushed the
mutilated carcass of his old playmate
over the window ledge. and proceeded
to build new house with his ill-gotten
web.
lie built rapidly, and the house was
a marvel of art. After it was done he
ran up tn the attic to call on his mother.
But gloom 50 deep and profound had
settled upon his heart that he found it
impossible to converse. When his moth
eraslled him If he had met his old friend
on the way he replied No in care
less manner, and remarked that he had
better return at once, as no doubt Scam
per was waiting to see him. So he hur-
ried away back to the new web, built
with the profits of his crime
l., u & IN
and he could not shake them off fly
came and tangled his wings in the new
web; but Spect allowed him To cxtricate
himself unmolested He had no APP
petite A day and night passed, and
he made no effort to obtain food, but
sat at one side of the web, lost in dark
and remorseful reveric.
lie remembered his mothers early
warnings, and wished that he had never
strayed from the peaceful attic. The
housemaid passing by, saw him sitting
in his web and paused. Then she
reached for an adjacent whislx- broom
and made a dash AT him. He never
stirred, nor attempted to escape She
threw him upon the floor and crushed
him with her foot, and swept his re-
mains into dustpan and threw them
into the street below.
The old mother waited in vain day
after day for the return Of her son and
his friend They never came ELLA
Wheeler Wilcox, in \. Y. Independent.
Good Manners.
Keep step with anyone You walk with.