The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1885-04-05
Queer Ants.
Our Little Ones.


Queer Ants.
Very many people do not get half the joy out
of life that they might They go through the
world with their eyes partly closed. Trees and
flowers, and insects, and animals they know only
by name. They have never studied the different
varieties of trees, secured the woods in seach
of beautiful ferns and strange wildwood flowers.
They do not know the pleasure there is in hav
ing animals for intimate friends, nor In study
ing the habits and peculiarities of insects.
We were convinced of this last fail while
visiting the Mammoth Cave, Kentucky. A
party out walking came across black ant en-
deavoring to move ball SO large that it was
only with great difficulty and much manage
ment that it could stir it. One OF the party was
exceedingly anxious to wait and watch the ant,
with its immense burden 80 very many times
larger than itself, but all the rest hurried on un-
interested. That all there were not Indifferent
to the strange things in the insect world the fol-
lowing story will show:
What would you think to see an ant carrying
a paraso?' asked Uncle Fred.
20, uncle!" cried Johnny and Puss at the same
time.
you know an ant could not carry a parasol,"
added Puss
Their uncle had just come home from long
trip to the West Indies and South America.
He had great many wonderful stories to tell
them about the queer sights he had seen and
thought he must be joking with them now, for
they could not believe that ant could do such
q thing.
We'll" said Uncle Fred, their parasols were
not made of silk stretched over a wire frame.
They were only pieces of leaves from trees, and
ants held them in their mouths in such way
that they covered their bodies entirely. You
could not see the ants at all, the leaves looked
as if they were marching along of their own ac-
cord. The first time saw any was in the West
TndI Dina dau vvhQ | yVo xUlth
friend out to his plantation, q great swarm of
these ants crossed our road. We watched them
a long time. 1t was very queer sight, | assure
you. They did not travel very fast There
must have been thousands and thousands of
!bsas for we eonld not see either ena of the
column"
Where were they going wonder said
Johnny.
They were carrying the leaves to their nests
They do not eat the leaves, but they are fond of
the fungus which grows on them after they have
been q little while in their underground nests
The ants are very destructive and do great
deal of damage. Sometimes they will cut every
leaf off from tree"
Don't we have any hereg' asked Puss. who
was much interested, and wished she could see
some.
mo-" said uncle Fred 1--WE have some curl
Gus ants. but none like those have been telling
you about"
How a Little Three-Year-Old Was Found.
Sidney Dayre, in Sunday-school Gem.
You'll lose your kites, boys, if you don't pull
them in"
''Why, Rob-" asked the two small boys, in
breath. There isn't speck of wind here"
''But there's plenty up there. Do you see
those clouds fyipgg There's storm not far of,
or I'm mistaken.
The kites were flying so beautifully, and they
had set them SO high that they could not make
up their minds to bring them down at once, al
though ominous jerks at the long strings ought
to have warned them that Rob was right.
Presently Harry's string was suddenly pulled
to its utmost tension and then with snap the
kite was gone sailing quickly out of sight in the
| cloudy sky The same gust turned Jacks over,
darling about in very crazy manner finally
landing it in far-away tree.
100 bad.' whimpered the boys.
Don't stop to fret over kites said Rob. II
don't like the looks of those clouds; they are
getting darker, and fear we're going to have
blow Jack, you'd better run to the house and
help mother get things fixed mp tight. Harry.
come with me and we'll see about the stock and
stables with father"
The blow came in good earnest, tearing away
fences, twisting huge branches off trees and
leyeling the standing grain. For an anxious
twenty minutes all waited in fear of still more
serious mischief, but then the wind swept on.
I'm afraid we've only had the outside edge of
something worse" said father as he looked
around out of doors and saw few fragments of
q
building long distance away. And SO it
proved. Before night, chance passers by
brought sad news of ruin and desolation wrought
by the cyclone, the center of whose terrible track
had been number of miles to the south of
| them, and whose chief force seemed to have
been spent on little prairie village about thirty
miles distant.
'Its where Cousin Annie lives said the boys
Cousin Annie had lived with them as a sister,
and even Harry could remember when she had
them home
in Roseville
Father had enough to do to look after fences,
but early the next morning Rob and Jack set
out in the spring wagon to drive over and see
how Cousin Annie had Jared in the storm They
had not gone many miles before its traces lay
thick about as they Drove and ROb's anxiety
grew to grave fear as he saw more and more of
its fearful effects.
''The bridge is gone,' cried Jack, as they ap-
preached stream which they must cross.
Bob saw it with dsmay. In ordinary summer
weather they could have forded. but the stream
was so swollen by the rain which had accom-
panied the storm that this was now impossible,
and, much discouraged they turned to take
long round which would bring them to another
bridge.
AS they entered the real storm track, their
way became very difficult Fallen trees were
entangled in the brushwood, and in many places
the roadway partially filed with broken
branches and the wreck OF far-off runined
homes. Turning from il to drive across the
prairie they tried to pass through bit of
timber but found it almost impossible to go on.
I'VE can never get to Roseville" said Jack,
in despair, 'and if We do everything will be
blown away"
I'VE must go on. said Rob. "Hark! What
was that~
A loud waiting cry came TO them and they held
their breath to listen.
IL do believe its a wildcatr said Jack turning
pale. odd Jim says he's seen wildcats in the
timber"
Nonsense listenp Again the cry came, and
Bob got out of the wagon and made his way
among the bushes in the direction from which
the sound came, calling as he went Jack fol,