The Washington herald., 1906-12-23
A LAY SERMON.
BY A LAYMAN.

Little Miss sIunett
sat on a tmffet
Eating her clird and whey;
There came big spider
And sat down beside her
/ And frightened Miss Afuifett away.
/ 1t is to be presumed that Miss
Muffett was a very proper young person
who thinking quietly to enjoy some curd
and whey, took her seat on a tuffet what
ever that may be-. but was interrupted
by the intrusion on her privacy of a big
spider; and that ike most of her sex, in
fact both sexes. under similar clrcum-
stances, she became frightened and ran
away. The flight Of Miss Muffett leads
us to conclude that she was not a natural
/ list, and, therefore, did not take advantage
Of the opportunity TO study the fine speci-
men OF Arachnida, or spider, as she might
have done, but hastily took her departure.
Had she remained and entered into a
critical study Of the spider she would
have found the subject a very interesting,
and, perhaps, an Instructive one. Spiders.
/ It must be confessed, are not attractive IN
/ appearance. and we know that they are
vicious and venomous, and that they de-
stroy their prey by poison. and that they
/ are very pugnacious. Considerations OF
/ this sort 10 doubt induced Miss Muffett
/ to adopt the course she did, which WAS
perhaps the wisest and most prudent
/ thing she could have done under the cir
/ cumstances. Spiders are not regarded as
very desirable or safe pets, and love
! or tenderness is wholly unfamiliar to
them, no instance having been known
of their showing any feeling of love or
kindness to each other
II is said by those who have investi-
gated the subject that any insect other
than that of their own class seems no
more Of stranger 20 them than they
themselves seem 20 each other. and hence
attacks upon their own class are fire.
quent. It has been said that the idea Of
q suspension bridge was suggested by
the spider-web, and that the spider pro-
yided the astronomers with their meas
uring lines, as its web has enabled them
TO determine the distances Of the heavenly
bodies. as also their velocities around the
sun.
But I take It that the lesson OF this
story is to point US to the human spiders
who are continually obtruding themselves
upon us, and driving us from the quiet en-
joyment Of our "curd and whey" They
like the lower spiders. have no love for
any Of their species. but are wholly en-
crossed with themselves while they prey
upon others. All communities have these
human spiders who prey upon their vic
tins almost as ferociously as their lower
kinsfolk, and suck their social sustenance
EVEN as the real spiders draw theirs from
whatever insects become entangled in
their nets, not excluding their own fam
lilies.
Horace draws an amusing account Of
one Of these fellows who gave him great
annoyance. How often are we annoyed
by the unlimited and iuopportune visits
Of persons who not only have no attrac-
tons for us. but whose company is
actually disagreeable. These human
spiders annoy MS IN all places and
at all times. They force themselves upon
US 10 private as well as IN public places,
and engross our time. breaking up our
conversations with those whose society
we enjoy, and seem 10 regard themselves
rs necessary 10 our happiness. In fact
they are continually thrUsting themselves
upon us. and breaking up the comfort
which We otherwise might have in eating
our CuTd and whey. We cannot always
run away and free ourselves from them
as did Little Miss NUnett, but are fire.
qUently compelled to bear their perse-
cutions with seeming good humOr. They
cling 10 their victims with the tenaCity
OF leeches. and only drop of when filed,
metaphorically, with the blood Of their
victims, or when driven of by force.
But our lives are tormented with many
petty annoyances, and I think il the part
of wisdom 20 bear them with patience
and fOrtitude. AS loss of temper and use
less regrets neither enhance our pleasure