SILKEN WONDER

Evening Star, Issue 23727, 7 November 1940, Page 10

SILKEN WONDER

This morning, 1 watched a piece of superb craftsmanship being turned out in an open-air workshop. The craftsman loved his work, so eager and intent was he, with no thought for any outside hindrances. When I first realised that the great work was in hand, I held ,my breath, not daring to believe it. There it hung, swaying in the early morning breeze, extravagantly perfumed by the many coloured flowers. Against the dark gray of the wooden fence, it was scarcely visible, and I had to peer closely to see at at all. Exquisitely executed, its sheer silken threads spaced regularly with not even a fraction of difference, the cross threads formed a scaffolding for the workman, as he industriously threaded his way through what seemed like space. How I wish I had been there when he commenced this work of art! Surely he did not climb along invisible airy posts, as he spun each thread and fastened it to the silken joists. Did the fluid material harden as it came in contact with the atmosphere, and was it elastic? With what ingenuity did he manage to bridge the mighty chasm between the two poppy plants, to tie taut the thread which based the whole construction ? I knew that bridges and buildings required carefully-drawn plans before the workmen even commenced operations, but not so for the little spider. Just a few hours before, the long, yellow fingers of the searchlights had pointed across the sky and the sirens shrieked and /moaned their _ “ W«ke up,” for this was the morning after an air raid warning. Tiny Mr Spider cared not. He was building.—G.l.M., in the ‘ Christian Science Monitor.’