When I was a little girl I used to think spiders spun cloth for the fairies , and spread it on the grass to bleach . '' Ben stopped digging a hole in the ground with his toe , and looked up , to see a lovely cobweb like a wheel , circle within circle , spun across a corner of the arch over the gate . Tiny drops glittered on every thread as the light shone through the gossamer curtain , and a soft breath of air made it tremble as if about to blow it away . `` It 's mighty pretty , but it will fly off , just as the others did . I never saw such a chap as that spider is . He keeps on spinning a new one every day , for they always get broke , and he do n't seem to be discouraged a mite , '' said Ben , glad to change the subject , as she knew he would be . `` That is the way he gets his living , he spins his web and waits for his daily bread , -- or fly , rather ; and it always comes , I fancy . By-and-by you will see that pretty trap full of insects , and Mr. Spider will lay up his provisions for the day . After that he does n't care how soon his fine web blows away . '' `` I know him ; he 's a handsome feller , all black and yellow , and lives up in that corner where the shiny sort of hole is . He dives down the minute I touch the gate , but comes up after I 've kept still a minute . I like to watch him . But he must hate me , for I took away a nice green fly and some little millers one day . '' `` Did you ever hear the story of Bruce and his spider ? Most children know and like that , '' said Miss Celia , seeing that he seemed interested . `` No , 'm ; I do n't know ever so many things most children do , '' answered Ben , soberly ; for , since he had been among his new friends , he had often felt his own deficiencies . `` Ah , but you also know many things which they do not . Half the boys in town would give a great deal to be able to ride and run and leap as you do ; and even the oldest are not as capable of taking care of themselves as you are . Your active life has done much in some ways to make a man of you ; but in other ways it was bad , as I think you begin to see . Now , suppose you try to forget the harmful part , and remember only the good , while learning to be more like our boys , who go to school and church , and fit themselves to become industrious , honest men . ''
XXXXX had been looking straight up in Miss Celia 's face as she spoke , feeling that every word was true , though he could not have expressed it if he had tried ; and , when she paused , with her bright eyes inquiringly fixed on his , he answered heartily , -- `` I 'd like to stay here and be respectable ; for , since I came , I 've found out that folks do n't think much of circus riders , though they like to go and see 'em .
Ben Bruce Celia Spider bleach cobweb daily day minute spiders