"I paid little attention to him, but kept my eye

open.

666 'Didn't you hear me say, "look out?" screamed the monkey.

"I shrugged my wings in contempt.

"All right, then!' shouted the monkey; 'it's your own fault.'

"Almost at the same moment I saw something flying at me through the air. I thought he had thrown a big nut at me, and I whizzed up into the air just as something struck and stuck clinging to the very spot on which I had been perching-an enormous spider!wicked little eyes glittering, great hairy jaws and claws widespread.

"Come, now, Peter, what do you think of that for an adventure?"

"Tremendous!" cried Peter with enthusiasm; "splendid! Did you immediately attack that spider and defeat him in a pitched battle?"

"No," said the humming bird, "I didn't. I was frightened and angry; I hovered above him in the sunshine, and my crest rose and I uttered some furious squeaks. Other birds heard me and came flying to see what was the matter; and in a few moments there were dozens of birds of all sorts flying around the branch where that big bird-spider squatted, all scolding and shrieking for somebody to come and attack the spider."

"Oh, I hope somebody came!" exclaimed Geral

dine, clasping her hands; "some brave champion who dared to engage that horrid creature in single combat!"

"It was rather singular," said the humming bird, "but nobody seemed to care to do battle with that great, hairy, hideous insect. The monkeys sat in rows on the branches of the tree and chattered and shivered, but they didn't even throw pods and nuts at the spider. A toucan with a big horny bill that could easily have crushed our enemy, hopped along the branches to look at him, and then went back to pick guavas and toss them into the air and swallow them. And dozens of parrots hung head downward to look at the spider and squawk at him; and the flying squirrels peeped down at him; and an old ant-bear sat up on his haunches and wriggled his long fleshy snout at him, but nobody did anything, until

The bird paused.

"Until " repeated the children expectantly, fairly wriggling with anticipation.

"Until, suddenly, with a deep, loud, angry buzz-z! an enormous hornet appeared. 'Buzz! z-z-z-r-r! buz-z! Where is he? where's that spider? Where is that big, fuzzy bird-killer, who is looking for a fight?'

6

"There he is! There he is!' twittered the birds in high excitement. There he is, crouching on that old mossy branch!'

"The huge hornet saw him, swooped downward,

and began circling above the spider, who raised himself on his heavy, hairy legs in a frightened attitude of defense. Then, all at once, the great spider turned and ran for his life. But the hornet darted at him, and with a terrible thrust of her sting tumbled the bird-eater clean off the branch so that he fell, bouncing and sprawling, on the dead leaves below!"

-ROBERT W. CHAMBERS.

lichen (lï' kĕn): a plant growing on rocks and the bark of trees. It is somewhat like moss.-destina'tion: the place set for the end of a journey.-instinct: a natural tendency to do certain things.-guava (gwä’vå): a West Indian tree bearing a berry-shaped fruit somewhat like, but smaller than, a pomegranate. This fruit makes fine jelly.-pitched battle: one in which armies are drawn up in form before it commences.-tou'can: a fruiteating bird of Brazil, having brilliant plumage and a large soft bill nearly as long as its body.-anticipa'tion: expectation.

THE WHISTLE

When I was a child of seven years, my friends, on a holiday, filled my pocket with coppers. I went directly to a shop where they sold toys for children; and, being charmed with the sound of a whistle, that I met by the way in the hands of another boy, I voluntarily offered and gave all my money for one. I then came home, and went whistling all over the house, much pleased with my whistle, but disturbing all the family.

My brothers and sisters and cousins, understand

ing the bargain I had made, told me I had given four times as much for it as it was worth; put me in mind of what good things I might have bought with the rest of the money; and laughed at me so much for my folly, that I cried with vexation; and the reflection gave me more chagrin than the whistle gave me pleasure.

This, however, was afterwards of use to me, the impression continuing on my mind; so that often, when I was tempted to buy some unnecessary thing, I said to myself, "Don't give too much for the whistle"; and I saved my money.

As I grew up, came into the world, and observed the actions of men, I thought I met with many, very many, who gave too much for the whistle.

When I saw one fond of popularity, constantly employing himself in political bustles, neglecting his own affairs, and ruining them by that neglect, "He pays, indeed," said I, "too much for his whistle."

If I knew a miser, who gave up every kind of comfortable living, all the pleasure of doing good to others, all the esteem of his fellow-citizens, and the joys of benevolent friendship, for the sake of accumulating wealth, "Poor man," said I, "you pay too much for your whistle."

When I met a man of pleasure, sacrificing every laudable improvement of the mind, or of his fortune, to mere corporeal sensations, and ruining his health

in their pursuit,

"Mistaken man," said I, "you are providing pain for yourself, instead of pleasure; you give too much for your whistle."

If I see one fond of appearance, or fine clothes, fine houses, fine furniture, fine equipages, all above his fortune, for which he contracts debts, and ends his career in a prison, "Alas!" say I, "he has paid dear, very dear, for his whistle."

In short, I believe that a great part of the miseries of mankind are brought upon them by the false estimates they have made of the value of things, and by their giving too much for their whistles.

-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN (Abridged).

vol'untarily: willingly.-chagrin (shå-grin'): vexation.-benev'olent: having a disposition to do good.-accu'mulating: gathering.laud'able: worthy of praise.-corpo'real: bodily.-equipages (šk-wipaj' ěz): carriages.-es'timates: opinions.

Maxims of Poor Richard

Dost thou love life? Then do not squander time, for that is the stuff life is made of.

A little neglect may breed mischief: for want of a nail the shoe was lost; for want of a shoe the horse was and for want of a horse the rider was lost.

lost;

Experience keeps a dear school, but fools will learn in no other.

-BENJAMIN FRANKLIN.