Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1891-09-05
A NOVEL DUEL ON A BAR.
Six Bottles and $50 waeered on the Resu]

Six Bottles and $50 wasered on the Result.
From the New York Sun
number of flies had settled on one end Of
the bar at q wel-known uptown resort the
other afternoon, attracted by few drops of a
sweet drink that had been spilled. group of
customers OF the place stood near. but the
tipping flies were objects of no interest to
them until one of the group discovered a red
dish-brown ant moving in a very business
like manner toward the flies. The presence of
an ant of that kind in such place was some
thing SO unheard OF that every person in the
ant hurried along until it was within three or
four inches of the flies, and then stopped and
seemed to be making a reconnaissance Pres
entity IT advanced in a cautious, siding manner
toward the flies again
The flies were apparently so much engaged
in absorbing the strange delicacv they had
come upon that they did not notice the APP
proach OF the ant, and even If they had there
was nothing IN the manner OF the insect to
strike them with alarm. The ant sided along
until l: was close TO the unsusyec,ing flies
when it made a sudden dash and seized a ay by
one of its wings. This created ii panic among
the flies. and the uniuckv one was left strug-
CLING to escape from Its caDtor. The Nv was
more than twice the size OF the ant. and if the
latter had seized the former Dy a leg or by the
body the fly would have had no difficulty in
bearing the ant away, whatever it's ultimate
fate might have been: but the willy ant un-
doubleday had calculated on that when il made
It's attack on the fly. and by grabbing i, by the
wing made it impossible for il 20 ise
in the struggle that followed the ant was
tumbled and rolled and pounded about by the
tiS lily, as bear might tumble a woodchuck
which presumed to give it fight. Blu, the ant
held on, and presently accomplished what it
bad set out TO do. probably, from the first. 1t
cut the wing from the fly close to the body. and
thus put an end to the insect power of fight
The attack OF the ant on the fy excited the most
intense interest III the group of spectators from
after the lively roush-and-tumble round. a
dozen bets were quickly made ON the result
the odds being In favor OF the ant.
The fly, unable to take wing, tried to escape
by running but the ant was upon it again in a
second, and again they wrestled about on the
bar. BY this time two or three of the fiy's COM
panions had recovered themselves sufficiently
to comprehend the trouble it was in and came
back to aid it. They pumped down on the
wrestler and managed to break rs hold on
the ny before any further perceptible injury
had been done, but the ant dashed boldly to
the tight again and grabbed one OF the new
corners by the leg. his hy rose from the bar,
taking the ant with il, but the ant nipped the
leg on. tumbled back on the bar again and
without an instants delay started in pursuit OF
the crippled fly, which was being helped along
by its remaining comrades.
They might have succeeded in getting the
crippled fly to some place Of safety, but the
spectators who had bet OH the ant interferred
at this point and chased the rescuing contin-
gent away The ant then pitched into the one
winged fly. and after another lively wrestle cut
the remaining wing off. AL this time the other
files were making efforts to get to their i'm
periIed companions assistance. and had to BIO
kept out OF the fight by the spectators. After
shipping of the fy's second wing the ant
boldly grasped the insect by the head, and,
throwing 1t over his shoulder as a lioaess
might deer it had captured, trotted of with
it's prey, climbed down the end of the bar and
disappeared in the hole behind it, Sixty dol
lars IN money and six bottles Of wine were lost
and won on the exciting ant and fly duel, which
lasted tive minutes.