Savannah courier. (Savannah, Tenn.) 1885-1979, 1892-08-04
One Dollar Per Year.

ment, hidden from view,
Meanwhile speck's web was ngain
destroyed, how he did not know lie
was paying visit In the attic when it
occurred. AS soon as he returned he
rewove his house with the Obstinate
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 il for
the third time, while SpeclS'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 splendid fly. Then he
went up TO tell his mother and Scamper
about IL, and to invite Scamper to come
down and share the fly.
THAT broom will 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
to carry 1t about"
The next time Speck's web was de-
stroyed he decided to try new build
ing place. His mother begged him to
return to the attic, and settle down into
calm and respectable life; but Speck
4 l. Il. u Ii ~ 1,,l1 in,
slow old attic, and that it would limit
his usefulness were he to remain there
81 am destroying flies who annoy the
people below stairs, and If they do not
know enough to appreciate my act
shall not be discouraged in well-doing.
l am going to try the window on the
other side of the house now. think
there will be less disturbance there" >
But even here Specks web was de-
stroyed three times in one week, and at
| the end Of that week terrible dis
covery dawned upon him. lie had ex-
hausted his ball of web. There was not
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 afew
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 long time, very motionless and
still, when he saw Scamper coming
around the corner of the house to call
upon him. AS he watched the 1.-the,
free motions of his old comrade, and
noted his care-free manner, a terrible
rage seized upon Speck.
''Ile has lived in idleness 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 has seen me use my web
recklessly, and has guarded his own
like miser. He is a false friend, a
coward and villain. | will have my
revenge" And before Scamper 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
mutiated carcass of his old playmate
over the window ledge, and proceeded
to build q new house with his ill-gotten
web.
He built rapidly, and the house was
marvel of art After it was done he
ran up to the attic to call on his mother.
But gloom so deep and profound had
settled upon his heart that he found it
impossible to converse. When his moth
erasked him if he had met his old friend
on the way he replied NO in a 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.
The attic had been full of memories
, and he could not shake them off. A fly
came and tangled his wings in the new
web; but tSpecl1 allowed him to extricate
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 reverie.
,. lie remembered his mothers early
a warnings, and wished that he had never
;, strayed from the peaceful attic. The
4 housemaid, passing by, saw him sitting
4 in his web, and paused. Then she
:. reached for an adjacent whisk-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
n into the street below.
n The old mother waited in vain day
4 after day for the return of her son and
!, his friend. They never came.-Ella
Wheeler Wilcox, in n. Y. Independent
e Good Manners.
L IL. |.