220 TENANTS OF AN OLD FAliM. 



(U'serted cottage. lie threw hiinjself upon a ln'up of 

 straw, aud lay upon his back, with liis hands placed 

 under his head, iniable to sleep. His gaze was tixed 

 upward among the rafters of the hut, which were 

 festooned with cobwebs. His mind brooded upon the 

 hopelessness of the patriotic enterprise in Avhich he was 

 engaged, and the misfortunes that already had be&Uen 

 him. From this train of thought he was diverted l)y 

 the efforts of a spider, who had begun to ply its voca- 

 tion with the first gray light of morning. The object 

 of the animal was to swing itself by its thread from one 

 rafter to another, but in the attempt it frequently 

 failed, each time vibrating back to the point whence it 

 had started. Twelve times did the little creature try 

 to reach the desired spot, and as many times was un- 

 successful. Not disheartened by its failure, it made 

 the attempt once more, and lo ! the rafter was 

 gained ! 



" ' The thirteenth time !' cried Bruce, springing to 

 his feet. ' I accept it as a lesson not to despond under 

 difficulties, and shall once more venture my life for the 

 independence of my country. ' He renewed the strug- 

 gle, and this time won success." 



The narrative greatly interested our circle, and had 

 warm commendation. 



"Now comes the question," I said, "whether 

 Bruce's spider was an orb-weaver ? Miss Abby's ver- 

 sion differs from that which 1 remember, which made 

 the spider's effort one to raise a heavy insect of some 

 sort to the roof. Such an incident is more natural, and 



