Now every creature looks around for shelter; Whose feeble body, bending o'er a staff, Shews still that once it was the seat of strength, Which well becomes those who have served their country. With tottering steps he gains the cottage door: Round from her work the mother turns her hea 1, The stranger whines not with a piteous tale, A poor old soldier's wants. The gentle matron brings the ready chair, And bids him sit to rest his weary limbs, And warm himself before her blazing fire. Flock round, and with their fingers in their mouths, Stand staring at him; while the stranger, pleased, Takes up the youngest urchin on his knee. Proud of its seat, it wags its little feet, And prates and laughs, and plays with his white locks. But soon a change comes o'er the soldier's face; He feels how helpless and forlorn he is, And big round tears course down his wither'd cheeks. His toilsome daily labour at an end, In comes the wearied master of the house, In the chief seat, with all the children round him; Forgets the by-past hardships of the day. B BERNARD BARTON. BORN 1784. DIED 1849. Bruce and the Spider. Robert Bruce, King of Scotland, had hitherto (A.D. 1306) been unsuccessful against the English, and was now residing at a poor dwelling at Rachrin, dis-spirited and reduced to the point of despair. A traditional story of the family of Bruce is, that whilst debating with himself whether he should give up his right to the Scottish crown or persevere," his eye was attracted by a spider, which, hanging at the end of a long thread of its own spinning, was endeavouring, as is the fashion of that creature, to swing 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 so. 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,' 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 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 which it had so often in vain attempted to reach. Bruce, seeing the success of the spider, resolved to try his own fortune; and as he had never before gained a victory, so he never afterwards sustained any considerable or decisive check or defeat."-Sir Walter Scott's Tales of a Grandfather. OR Scotland's and for freedom's right Been conquered and dismayed: Once more against the English host The meed for which he fought; A hut's lone shelter sought. And cheerless was that resting-place The rude, rough beams alone; Yet well I ween had slumber fled The sun rose brightly, and its gleam And tinged with light each shapeless beam When, looking up with wistful eye, The Bruce beheld a spider try His filmy thread to fling From beam to beam of that rude cot And well the insect's toilṣome lot Taught Scotland's future king. Six times the gossamery thread Each aim appeared, and back recoiled One effort more, his seventh and last!- Slight as it was, his spirit caught The more than omen; for his thought |