Orange County observer. [volume] (Hillsborough, N.C.) 1880-1918, 1885-05-16

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game covering. They looked, for all
the world, like the pictured mummies he
mad seen in books. The guards in the
room looked rather savagely at Tom
when he entered, but 8 glance from the
guide made all right.
On reminding the guide that the
wings, she said: You are quit right,
Master Sharp-eyes. But she once had
wings, and I'll tell you how she lost
them. The wings of the king and
queen ARE for the wedding-trip only.
The king dies, or is killed off On his re-
turn, while the queen strips off her
wings and sets seriously to her life-work
Of laying eggs; and that is how she loses
her wings. See there they go for the
wedding trip p
Tom turned, and saw two rather ele-
gant-looking ants, with wings half
raised, making toward the door of the
nest. He and the guide followed just
in time to wish them much happiness, as
they flew away through the sunlight
air.
Tom, seeing himself at the main door
again, and thinking he had trespassed
quite long enough on the kindness OF
his ant-friend, turned to thank her, and
\ to send also message Of thanks to the
Queen, when she exclaimed:
"Oh, I have good deal more to
show you. You have not seen our cows
vet"
"Cows, COWS? Ants have COWS p
ried Tom, in astonishmenu.
eyes, ants have COWS; and if you will
step this way You shall see them
Tom obeyed, and they retraced their
steps through one of the long corridors.
As they went along they met an ant
carrying heavy burden.
What busy yet ?" said the guide,
and they touched hands as they passed.
THAT Is one of the best workers in the
whole hive; she works fifteen hours o
lay many time" Presently they came
upon little insect with tuft of hair
on its back, which an ant sucked, and
then went away iiching It's lips. ''Ihat
is walking honey.pot said the guide.
Eve keep several in the nest, and when
we want taste we suck them, as you
saw that ant do just now"
Tom opened his eyes at this. But he
WI, ha I
that there were ants who were living
honey Jars, who stored up honey and
gave it out as required to the other
members of the community.
Just then very small ant leaped on
the back of the guide and put its long
! spider-legs round her neck.
'Stennie, Stennie, my little pet, don t
| quite choke me with your hugs. You
see we have pets, as we'll as COWS and
/ living honey-pots, turning to Tom.
They had now reached the cow-shed,
connected with the main nest by a GOV.
cred way. 1t was built round and over
the leaves of daisy plant which formed
the stalls for the COWS.
Tom was looking for q large, four
| legged creature, and when the guide
pointed out quite herd of small. green
! insects, he thought she was surely pok
ing fun at him. But these were the
ant-cows. For by and by the milk.
maids came in, went up to the COWS anG
stroked them very gently until drops o
honey fell from them, which they
drank. As Tom stood watching them
be remembered to have seen green N
sects like these on the rose trees and
gooseberry bushes in lis fathers gar.
den, and the thought struck him thai
what people call honey-dew was the
honey dropped by these little creatures
The guide told him, as they walkeG
away, that there were some ants tha
grew their own rice and even mush
looms.
"Dear me. " thought Tom, "ants ar,
as clever as men.
Coming to a door tha: led into the
grand hall and looking in, the guide ex
claimed "Why, the sports are on and
did not know"
It was merry scene. At one elk
was the queen. with ali her courtier:
round her, watching the games Her.
long double row of ants were plavine
at thread needle There a conpan7
was dancing: close hv were severa! pair.
wrestling and boxing, while many OF tn
youngsters were paying at hideand
seek all round the hall Su1ienlv
when the merr. .ment vas a. its hight.
CRY was heard To TIE pillar. T. -
pillar The foe. the foe Seal ths
inner doors f.
The scene was changed III al instant
The queen had her bodygnard doubled
and was taken off to the ROYAL cell, an
sealed up. The keepers OF the eggs
the grubs, and the mummies hurrief
away 70 their respective cells, and FLEE
81 -r-