Year: 1873

The spider was a black, ugly fellow
Not large spider, but be had a great
many legs lie was brave and honest
enough in bis way. His way was to catch
aud eat all tue aies he could and be had
just spun strong new web for that pur
pose Oh the outside Of the window, and
made no secret Of bis intentions. Like
others Of bis kind he had met with reverses
Many good web had been blown down
or swept away as soon as il was finished;
buI spiders must not allow themselves t'
be- discouraged, so now he hal made anoth
er The wnsp was three times larger than
the spider, aud handsome fellow neatly
finished of in rings Of black and yellow:
he had slender waist, but be looked like
villain. and had an unpleasant way Of
nrning his head from side to side, and Of
rubbing FIRST one ear and then the other, i
they are ears, and of guashing those nip
pars-if that is what be calls them lon
Que side Of bis head


NJ doubt the spider was the better o.
the two


The wasp could sting very 6ercely, and
would at any time he had mind to On
his pVrtiCular day. lhe spider bad, per.
haps, not eaten large braskfnst--a small
moth or the like--aud was'huugry, as one
migbt imagined he would be, and bad sta
toned hiwselfiu bis den 10 wait for bis
dinner.


What the wasp wanted there it is diff
cult 10 tell. Perhaps be did not believe
in spiders webs, or was not afraid Of them,
but he came Iumbling aud laundering
along, and the next minute was caught in
the web by one leg The spider rushed
out and wound thread around the leg,
but the wasp struggled so violently and
shook Tue web SO that The spider was I'M
mediately obliged to go aloft and look to
bis fastenings. he seemed 10 do this cody
md deliberately, as though be had moth,
ug else TO think of. When he was salts
fed be returned to the combat asi if sure t
win.


Meanwhile the wasp continued to strug-
gle and gnash bis, nippers, evidently in a
rage thathe should have been so stupid or
50 unlucky. The spider prudeutly kept
nut of reach Of the angry uipperS, and
watched bis opportunity TO wind
fresh thread round a leg, whenever it
was possible to do 80 safely. But the
wasp, also, had many legs and as Que was
made fast, another seemed to kick itseIf
loose, and the fosteuiusF Of the web bad
to be attended to every other moment, so
The spider had bis hands full and it was
lificult to tell bow it would end


One of the spectators was on the spiders
side She said she was afraid Of wa Ps,
| and hoped this one wOuld not get away
and she admired The coolnCss and skill OF
the spider. Another one said her symp'
tbms were entirely with the wasp. and i
made her blood run cold to see the spiders
deliberate proceedings. But all agreed
moi 10 interfere on either SIDE


The spider had another difficulty 10
cont I'd with. While these active legs
being fastend at one momeut and freeing
themselves at another the wasps -four
wings we're whirliug like the wings Of a
wind mill-so fast that all that could lie
seen vasa sort of cloud or mist where the
wings should be- After failing many tI"e'
The spider presently succeeded in lashinq
two Of these wings. together, aud gradual


y winding them tight until they looked
morc like small dry twig than pair oI
wings. Then he took secure position
upon these disabled wings, and from these
contrived 10 throw line around tho other
wings which werc still whirIlng madly
apo soon he had them fruly bound to one
Of the logs so that be could not move