Evening star., 1928-12-05

40 0uAhFSA AAoFSAS'
Upon the highest corner of a large
window there dwelt a certain spider,
swollen up to the first magnitude by
the destruction of infinite numbers of
flies, whose spoils lay scattered before
the gates of his palace like human
bones before the cave of some giant.
The avenues to his castle were guarded
with turnpikes and palisades all after
the modern way of fortification. After
you had passed several courts you came
to the center, wherein you might behold
the constable himself in his own lodg-
ings, which had windows fronting to
each avenue and ports to sally out upon
all occasions of prey or defense.
In this mansion he had for some time
dwelt in peace and plenty, without dam
ger to his person by swallows from
above or to his palace by brooms from
below. Then it was the pleasure OF
fortune to conduct thither wondering
bee. to whose curiosity broken pane
in the glass had discovered itself, and
in he went. where, expatiating little
while, he at last happened to alight
upon one of the outward walls of the
spiders citadel, which, yielding to the
unequal weight sunk down to the very
foundation.
his passage and thrice the center
shook. The spider within, feeling the
terrible convulSion, supposed at first
that nature was approaching to her
final dissolution, or else that Beelzebub,
with all his legions. was come to re-
venge the death of many thousands
of his subjects flor. in Hebrew. Beelze-
bub means the lord of flies) whom his
enemy had slain and devoured. How
ever. he at length valiantly resolved to
issue forth and meet his fate.
Meanwhile the bee had escaped the
tolls and, posted securely at some dis
tance, was employed in cleansing his
wings and disengaging them from the
rugged remnants of the cobWeb. BY
this time the spider was adventured
out when, beholding the chasm, the
ruins and dilapidations of his fortress,
he was very near at his wits end He
stormed and swore like a madman and
| swelled till he was ready to burst. At
| length, casting his eye upon the bee
| and wisely gathering causes from
events (for they knew each other by
| sight), he said:
"A plague split you for giddy puppy.
Is it you. with vengeance, tina. have
made this litter here? Could you not
| look before you? Do you think I have
nothing else to do but mend and repair
after you?"
Good words, friend" said the bee
| (having now pruned himself and being
disposed to be drolD iii give you my
hand and word to come near your
kennel no more. 1 was never in such
confounded pickle since was born. -
"Sirrah," replied the spider, "if it
| were not for breaking an old custom
-, Co. ilIy g. 1kir aL1r
enemy, I should come and teach you
better mannersT
| II pray have patience" said the bee,
''or you'll spend your substance, and, for
aught see. you may stand in need of
it all toward the repair of your house. y
Rogue. rogue" replied the spider;
| 'yet methinks you should have more
| respect to person whom all the world
allows to be so much your betters."
by my troth," said the bee, "the
| comparison will amount to a very good
! jest; and you will do me a favor to
| let me know the reasons that all the
world pleased use in so hopeful dis
pute."
At this the spider. having swelled
| himself into the size and posture of a
| diSputant, began his argument in the
| true spirit of controversy, with reso-
| luton 10 be neartlly ScurrllOuS and
| angry: to urge on his own reasons with
out the least regard to the answers or
objections of his opponent and fully
determined in his mind against all con-
| viction.
Not to disparage myself" said he,
"by the comparison with such rascal,
what art thou but a vagabond with
out house or home without stock or
inheritance? Born to no possession of
your own but pair of wings and a
drone pipe. Your livelihood is a univer-
sal plunder upon nature, freebooter
over fields and gardens, and, for the