20 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



insult put upon her, the Bank Argiope began to shake 

 her shield, commencing slowly, and waxing faster and 

 faster in her movements until the whole web w^as in 

 violent oscillation. 



" See !" I said, "You have wounded the creature's 

 vanity, or, at least, you have awakened her fears. Wait 

 until she has quieted, then look closely and see if either 

 her person or work is worthy of so harsh a criticism. 

 There, the web is still now — what say you ?" 



"I do declare,'' answered the honest maiden, ", it 

 isiVt so ugly after all, and the net is really a work of art. 

 Certainly, I should know better than to speak lightly of 

 any of Nature's children ; but then, you know, spiders 

 do seem an exception. Everybody fears and dislikes 

 them." 



"Yes, you doubtless speak for your race. There is 

 perhaps no creature with which man is intimately asso- 

 ciated that has come in for a larger share of aversion 

 than our humble friend Arachne. Like most human 

 prejudices, this is an undeserved and unreasonable feel- 

 ing. The spider is a true philanthropist. She is, with- 

 out reservation, a friend to our race, destroying noxious 

 insects by myriads, and making in return no impost or 

 levy upon oui orchards, vineyards, cupboards or cellars. 

 She is not the only example of unrewarded merit — of 

 an ill name earned by a supposed ugly visage ; in short, 

 of a prophet without honor in his own country. Spiders 

 are not all so very ugly, either, as you have con- 

 fessed. The fact is they have been deteriorated by too 

 close contact with luan. The house and cellar spi- 



