The Banner-Democrat. [volume] (Lake Providence, East Carroll Parish, La.) 1892-current, 1900-07-28

it was a beautiful sight to see tlros
deft fingers roll the wool, separate
into masses, soft and fluffy, whit
clouds; send it flying along the spindl
and then weave it into cloth, both ricl
in coloring and lifelike in its figures.
Arachne knew her own skill and tn,
wondering eyes of the watchers only
filed her heart with greater pride
Naturally, then when she heard on,
say, in well-mcant praise: 'Minervs
must have taught the girl her art
it reused in her feeling of anger thai
even a goddess should rob her of the
credit for her own work.
Impatiently she anwswered, "Neither
goddess nor mortal has taught me
aught. My skill is my own. Let Miner.
va herself try hers with me-"
Minerva heard the young girl, and
resolved to give her some friendly ad-
vice, SO she changed herself from the
glorious goddess of wisdom to a poor,
bent old woman.
MY daughter" she asked, appearing
before Arachne, / am old and know
something of the misfortunes of this
world. Let me give you some friendly
counsel. Be not so rash as to challenge
goddess. Rather ask her pardon for
what you have said and be content to
be supreme in your art among mortals.
She is of kind nature and will pardon
you now"
Il fear not Minerva" answered the
girl. LET her appear and make the
trial."
Much incensed the goddess revealed
herself, saying, Here I am
The nymphs shrunk back in terror.
Arachne alone manifested no fear,
though she grew trifle pale.
They proceeded at once to the task.
Minerva wOve q fabric showing the
gods and gOddesses assembled to pro-
nounce sentence upon mortals who had
brought down upon themselves dis
pleasure because of their impiety. So
real were the figures and so splendid
the coloring that the nymphs stood
awed before this marvellous workman
ship.
In spite of her success when Minerva
turned to look at the work of her rival,
what was her chagrin to behold a ia
pestry picturing the failings of the
gods and goddesses, the colors of which
blended imperceptibly, like the bow
formed by sunbeams reflected rom
the shower, in which, where the c0lors
meet they seem as one, but at little
distance from the point Of contact are
wholly different"
Filled with unwilling admiration, yet
enraged both at the impiety of the
subject and at the girls success, MI
nerva first rent the web by blow of
her shuttle and then, touching Arachne |
Upon the forehead, caused her to real |
re her guilt. Poor Arachne, overcome |
~ remorse, went and hanged herself.
'Iinerva's pity was aroused as she saw
Ter hung suspended by rope.
Live, guilty GIRL" she cried; "but
hat you may remember this lesson-al-
Ways hang, both you and your descen-
nts."
So speaking, she sprinkled the juices
( aconite upon Arachne's body and i'm.
nediately her hair, her nose and lnr
ars fell off, her form shrunk up, hef
cad grew smaller, her fingers chung
D her side and served for legs. All
he rest of her became the body from
vhich she spins her thread, often hang.
1g suspended by it just as when MI
erva transformed her into a spider.
1t was thus the beauty-loving, beau.
v-finding Greeks told the story Of the
pider. The humblest insect to them
ad some beauty to inspire a legend.
s to the student a common earthworm I
lows under the microscope the
prismatic colors of its skin,
, the glistening silk of the spiders
eb created in the rich imagination of
lie Greeks the story of Arachne's won.
'ous tapestry.-Chicago Record.