It was cold and wintry outside, and very warm and cozy in by the fire. And. Spider liked the glow of the fire, for Spider was a kitten—just three months old, Grace was very fond of that kitten, although why she called him “Spider” I shall never know, for not many people like spiders, and they are not nearly as nice as kittens.
Mr. Moore just opened the door to bring in the milk, when up jumped Spider, and with a swish and a bound he was out the door and into the snow “You won’t stay out there very long,” thought Mr. Moore, as he put away the milk. But Spider seemed in no hurry at all to come back, so in about an hour, Mr. Moore decided that he must be found. Up and down the street he looked, calling “Spider, Spider.” I have no doubt he felt very foolish, but he knew how sorry Grace would be to lose her kitten. Presently he heard a little wail of distress coming from somewhere. It seemed to come from the roof-top, and he looked up.
There was poor Spider, away at the top of the very tallest poplar tree, mewing and frightened. “Come Spider, come down.” Down he struggled a little bit and then stopped and mewed some more. Oh, how far away the ground seemed! But that voice at the bottom of the tree kept calling him to corm down, and so he tried, and lower and lower he came, till at last Mr. Moore was able to reach him, and lift him down. Poor Spider was soaking and trembling, and seemed very glad to be placed back in front of the warm fire indoors.
Now Mr. Moore is a happy Christian man, and when this happened, it set him thinking. Isn’t that like many boys and girls who turn their backs on the Lord Jesus, and set out to find what happiness they can away from God. They find that it is not at all as pleasant and wonderful as they had hoped, and yet sometimes they are afraid to come back down. Jesus calls you to Himself, dear boys and girls, for He loves you and has a home prepared foi all who will come to Him and trust it Him.
ML 09/30/1951