So.

While he was doubtful of what he should do, Bruce was looking upward to the roof of the cabin in which he lay; and his eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end of a long thread of its own spinning, was endeavoring, as is the fashion of that creature, to swing 5 itself from one beam in the roof to another for the purpose of fixing the line on which it meant to stretch its web. The insect made the attempt again and again without success; and at length Bruce counted that it had tried to carry its point six times and been as often unable to do 10 It came into his head that he had himself fought just six battles against the English and their allies, and that the poor persevering spider was exactly in the same situation with himself, having made as many trials and been as often disappointed in what it aimed at. "Now," 15 thought Bruce," as I have no means of knowing what is best to be done, I will be guided by the luck which shall attend this spider. If the insect shall make another effort to fix its thread and shall be successful, I will venture a seventh time to try my fortune in Scotland; but if the 20 spider shall fail I will go to the wars in Palestine and never return to my native country more."

While Bruce was forming this resolution, the spider made another exertion with all the force it could muster, and fairly succeeded in fastening its thread to the beam, 25 which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. Bruce, seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own.

fortune; and though he had never before gained a victory, he never afterward had any considerable or decisive check or defeat. I have often met with people of the name of Bruce so completely persuaded of the truth of this story 5 that they would not on any account kill a spider, because it was that insect which had shown the example of perseverance and given a signal of good luck to their great namesake. SIR WALTER SCOTT: Tales of a Grandfather.

tradition, information which is not written down as history, but depends upon the memory, being told by father to son; deliberating, carefully thinking over; transport, carry across; exertion, strong effort; decisive, positive, not to be altered.

Who is the hero of this tale? What is meant by "rests only on tradition"? Tell the story of Bruce and the spider. How is it regarded by members of that family?

Spelling. Deliberating, transport, tradition, exertion, decisive. Word Study. In the word transport, what is the stem? Do you remember any related words?

Composition. You notice how closely Bruce observed the making of the spider's web. Have you ever watched closely an animal in order to discover for yourself any of its habits?

Perhaps you have a pet cat, dog, horse, bird, or turtle. Some children even make pets of toads. Have you ever watched a pollywog change into a frog? Or kept a cocoon until the moth or butterfly came out? If you have not already done so, before you write your next composition, see if you can find an opportunity to watch some animal.

Write a composition telling something you have observed about some animal. Make an outline before you begin. Write a topic for each paragraph and be sure to arrange your paragraphs in proper order, thus:

The Life of a Butterfly.

1. Caterpillar.
2. Cocoon.

3. Butterfly.

You would not arrange these paragraphs in the order 1, 3, 2. Why not?

Have you read any of the books written by John Burroughs, Olive Thorne Miller, or Ernest Thompson Seton? They have all written very interesting accounts of animal life.

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LADY CLARE

[Alfred Tennyson, who died only a few years ago, was long the Poet Laureate of England, that is, the person appointed by the king or queen, according to a strange old custom, to celebrate in verse the important happenings of the royal house. But he was more than the official poet of a court: he was the most beloved poet of the English nation.]

P

It was the time when lilies blow,

And clouds are highest up
in air,
Lord Ronald brought a lily-white doe

To give his cousin, Lady Clare.

I trow they did not part in scorn;

Lovers long betrothed were they;
They two will wed the morrow morn
God's blessing on the day!

"He does not love me for my birth,

Nor for my lands so broad and fair;
He loves me for my own true worth,

And that is well," said Lady Clare.

5

10

5

In there came old Alice the nurse,

Said, "Who was this that went from thee?"
"It was my cousin," said Lady Clare;
"To-morrow he weds with me."

"O, God be thanked," said Alice the nurse,
"That all comes round so just and fair!
Lord Ronald is heir of all your lands,
And you are not the Lady Clare."

10

15

"Are ye out of your mind, my nurse, my nurse
nurse?"
Said Lady Clare, "That ye speak so wild?"

"As God's above," said Alice the nurse,
"I speak the truth: you are my child.
"The old Earl's daughter died at my breast;
I speak the truth, as I live by bread!
I buried her like my own sweet child,
And put my child in her stead."

"Falsely, falsely have ye done,

O mother," she said, "if this be true,
To keep the best man under the sun
So many years from his due."

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Nay now, my child," said Alice the nurse,
"But keep the secret for your life,
And all you have will be Lord Ronald's,
When you are man and wife.”

"If I'm a beggar born," she said,
"I will speak out, for I dare not lie.
Pull off, pull off, the brooch of gold,
And fling the diamond necklace by."

"Nay now, my child," said Alice the nurse, "But keep the secret all ye can."

She said, "Not so; but I will know

If there be any faith in man."

"Nay now, what faith?" said Alice the nurse;
"The man will cleave unto his right."
"And he shall have it," the lady replied,
"Tho' I should die to-night."

"Yet give one kiss to your mother dear!
Alas, my child, I sinned for thee!"
"O mother, mother, mother," she said,
"So strange it seems to me.

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