The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1893-01-20
ANTS DRUNK ON INK
Red Cedar Proves a Good Exterminatol
of the Insects.

of the Insects
ga few years ago, while living in q
Long Island cottage" writes a CORE
spondent, II discovered my writing
desk was inhabited by colony of large
black ants This discovery gave me
great pleasure at the time, for 1 was
dull and hcadachy from overwork, and
was thankful for any amusing or inter
esting diversion.
81 had been steadily writing for some
time, and had fina ly paused for rest
from continuous thought, and was idly
tracing on q scrap of paper. when, to
my surprise, l saw a large black ant
make his appearance from behind pile
of papers and follow my pen.
81 was still more surprised to see
that he was drinking the ink. He fol-
lowed every movement of the pen, and
was soon joined by half dozen more,
when learned that for ants, at least,
ink was sort of champagne dissipa-
ton, for after getting certain guam
tity they began series of the most
amusing antics, showing plainly that
the ink had for them an intoxicant
quality. After their ludicrous Hveli-
ness came a stupor, when they lay
curled up in little round balls wherever
they happened to fall
Being suddenly called away, 1
brushed them in a little heap and
pushed them in a corner of the desk,
closing the lid. 1t was several days be-
fore opened the desk again, and not
an ant was to be seen, though l moved
papers and boxes looking for them. but
as soon as the scratching of the pen be-
gan they came hurrying out and fol-
lowed in a most amazing procession
over the paper, again going through all
the different stages of intoxicatiou-
Being unusually busy with nv pen. |
now and then pushed them aside, until
in their last stage of stspor they ceased
to be troublesome. This sort of neigh
borliness between myself and the ants
continued for several months. when,
moving to different house in the same
neighborhood, | made up my mind that
the ants would desert the desk, il not
able for some time to have their ink
diet But when the house was in order
and the desk again opened they came
out as lively as ever. evidently rejoicing
at the opening of the season. But the
numbers having increased to such an
extent that they were often seen on the
floors OF other rooms. determination
was declared a necessity.
Among the various remedies sug-
gested as 'infallible' was red CEDAR
and passing by a boatyard where the
men were planning planks of this fra
grant wood, gathered 4 W of the
shavings and put them among my
papers and the drawers in my desk, in
fact every nook which might serve as
hiding place for my army of midgets-
1T SO happened after this that my
desk was closed for many days. and in
the stress of more important matter l
quite forgot the ants, and when | next
sat at nav writing was so absorbed in
nv work that l did not for while
notice their absence until a little piece
of shaving recalled my merry little
topers and l began a search in their
hiding places.
Il had nearly overturned everything
unsuccessfully until l lifted a pile of
old letters and found box which had
once held pens filed to the top with
dead ants. Not one was to be found
elsewhere, and l began to wonder over
the puzzle. Did they &C in body to
escape the deadly effect of the cedar or
did they select this as a mausoleum
and the survivors carry the dead there
until the last one was left alone to seek
shelter with his silent companions?
Not an ant was discovered anywhere
else, and though all this happened six
years ago. no more have come. SO if
any reader hears housekeeper bewail
ing the arrival of these tiny pests just
recommend red cedar 1t is surely eff
fective
Carpenters say that the presence of
black ants in house denotes decayed
wood. and if repairs are made that will
cause them to leave. In tearing down
an old house one of the workmen struck
a portion of wood heavy blow, and in
demolishing by its force number of
ants a most irritating and poisonous
liquid was expelled into his eyes, and
the man was almost maddened with
pain. and for several days 1t was feared
he would lose his sight
There is no creature so small or in
significant as to be without interest,
and even the pests have elements which
careful study can make attractive
y Y. Times.