Mrs. Epeira’s Spinning-Machine 
she dexterously holds the fingers of her 
spinning machine close together, and 
in just the right position, so that the 
hundreds of dainty strands are united 
into one firm thread, strong enoxgh to 
support Mrs. Epeira’s own body. 
A strange thing about the spinnerets 
is that they do not all contain the same 
kind of silk; therefore Mrs. Spinner 
rarely uses them all at the same time. 
When she wishes to use one sort of 
silk she spins with one set of the finger- 
tips. When she decides that she needs 
another kind she skilfully changes to 
another set, and goes on with her 
work with scarcely a pause. She never 
makes a mistake, never uses the wrong 
kind, and never mixes up the different 
sorts. 
Years and years ago, your grand- 
mother and great-grandmother stood 
by their spinning-wheels and spun 
woollen and cotton threads. As they 
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