Year: 1875

|
To go to work In earnest,
| And learn the thing at once 2
Suppose that some boys have horse,
| And some coach and pair,
| VIII IL tire you less while walking


To say, q 1t isn't fair Y'


And wouldn't it be nobler
To keep your temper sweet,
| And In your heart be thankful
| You can walk upon your feet


Suppose the world don't please you,
Nor the way some people do,
| Do you think the whole creation
| Will be altered just for you 2.
| And isn't it, my boy or girl,
| The wisest, bravcst plan,
Whatsoever comes, or doesn't come
To do the best you can


THE SPIDER AND THE LIZARD.-I was,
one day, lately, walking in the fields,
when, being weary, l laid myself on the
grass in such q position that, my head
Just surmounting the crest of hillock,
could watch with ease all that passed
on the other side without exposing my
self to view. I was thus enabled to look
across the grass, and my eyes wandering
over the tortuous labyrinth and the tufts
ofherbage, l saw the ants pass and repass in
the forest of fiowery turf. saw numerous
Pentatomes, variegated like so many
harlequins, pursuing the Chrysomeles,
more brilliant than jewels. 1 followed
with my eyes the Brachinus and Har-
palus seeking the protection of the flints
that strewed the ground; and heard
the crickets as they sat, each at his thres-
hold, singing their songs to the sun.


When / compared myself with all
this tiny world, / was positively fright
ened at my colossal proportions and the
vastness of my limbs. 1t seemed to me
as though my head had the dimensions
of house, my eyes were two great
windows, and my body, as it lay extended
over the turf, seemed to cover a country
which could be measured only by
leagues


I was occupied with these fantastic
thoughts, when my eyes were suddenly
arrested by the appearance of large
spider, which issued like a specter from
the bosom of the earth.


At first saw kind of lid, about the
size of small halfpenny, slowly raise
itself above the surface of the soil then
some long, hairy legs stretched them
selves out from tube which the lid had
previously covered with the utmost
exactness.


1t seemed as though fearful phantom
were lifting the rocky cover of its tomb
in order to strike with sudden horror the
conscience of some great criminal.
However, felt that / had nothing to
reproach myself with in reference to the
world of spiders; so far, therefore, from
recoiling from the sight before me, set
myself to examine the matter with
eager attention.


Squatting under the lid, which rested
on her back as she lay half out of the
tube, the spider eagerly watched every
movement of delicate lace-wing fly,
which stalked lazily over the gilded
petals of trefOil. The wings of this
lovely insect, so thin and transparent
that one might believe them to have
been worked by fairy fingers, reflected the
glorious hues of Iris herself in the suns
bright ray, and as they glistened in the
spiders eight dark eyes, evidently did
but rouse more strongly her ferocious de-
sires.


Indeed, the hairy spinner fairly trem-
bled with excitement and impatience as
the graceful fly moved slowly toward the
den, dark and cold as the grave, where
the spider lay in ambush.
In another moment it walked into the
very jaws of death, when l heard slight
cracking in the dry herbage, and then,
with suddenness that made me start, a
| bright green lizard dashed from tuft of
grass and bounded toward the spider.


Though quite taken by surprise, the
latter had Just time to avoid the fatal
stroke by drawing back with a rapidity
at least equal to that of her enemy, and
violently closing the lid of her gallery.
So near, however, was the lizard to his
prey that the toes of his right fore foot
were actually caught between the door
and the side of the tube, and vain were
the reptiles efforts to disengage itself,
though it twisted its 1.-THE body from side
to side like one possessed.


Had the spider been able to close the
gate of the castle with stout bolt or bar,
never would our lizard have boasted of
another victory over spider or insect. 1t
must have perished miserably of hunger
and exhaustion


Meanwhile it strove hard to raise the
lid with its muzzel, and failing in this
after several attempts, it managed in the
course of its struggle to insert the end OF
its tail into the slight opening made by
its foot.


Then for the first time could see the
miserable spider doubled up against the
wall of its den and holding on with all
its might by means of its claws to the
inner face Of the silken door, which, how
ever, was gradually yielding to to the ef
forts of the enemy.


thought it right, therefore, to put a
stop without delay to the unequal com
bat. No sooner thought than done
From the summit of the hillock on which
nay chin was resting, 1 emitted loud
brrrrrrl In a second, as once with the
great god, Jove,-


"0lyumpus trembled at my nodl"


The frightened lizard, i'm the energy Of
despair, tore its foot from the trap, with
the loss of two or three toes, and bound
ing into the grass disappeared from view


The Boy ON LACROSSE STREET.
When a Labrosse street boy is playing
hop-scotch" on the walk and his
mother comes to the door and asks him
to split some wood, he replies that ht
will be along in just one minute. At the
end of ten minutes she opens the dool
and says


"Wilyum, / want that woodP


"Pm coming right now," he replies
and then goes on hopping here and there
on one leg.


Another ten minutes flies away, ant
she opens the door and says:


Wilyum, If you don't get that woot
you knew what your father will dop


"Just ten secondsp' he calls back, ant
he enters upon pew game.
The next time she calls she says:
Young man, it's almost noon and
can't cook dinner without that wood =
"I know it-Pm coming now" he re
plies, and he stands on one foot anc