The Houston daily post. [volume] (Houston, Tex.) 1886-1903, 1895-12-15
INSECTS SHOW SAGAClTY.
Stories Told at an Informal Meeting
of Drummcrs.
THE TRULY lllGH.SOul.ED COCKR0ACH
Hs Sacrificed Himself for the Good OF His
Tribc-Dragon Fly and tho
Lost Beer.

Lost Beer.
The travelling man from Oshkosh had
just finished telling remarkable story
of his dog who had on tho LIST OF April
barked loud enough TO wake up the en-
tire household. and who after the male
members OF tho family had ransaclSed the
premises In vain for burglars. calmly
pointed with his nose to tho calendar.
barked April fool" and with a keen
sense of the humorous trotted back TO his
Kennel.
wonderful dog" said tourist from
oklahoma Reminds me of setter 1
once had
"Bahl interrupted Chicago sausage
drummer. zone expects intelligence in
dogs and cats! But when insects manifest
almost human sagacity. then Is the time
to marvel
"For instance?" asked man from
Mishawaka.
We'll, 40 one would expect any intolli-
gence in an ordinary cockroach, would
they?'
mo. not to any extent"
Last week | came homc one night. and
y.
prised at finding at least hundred big
| beetles scampcrine across the floor to es-
cape into their lair | saw that they all
disappeared down circular hole In one
corner of the closet Next night / sailed
4 forth on tour of determination. | pre-
pared a wooden plug to stop up the hole.
ana nat cudgel with which To innihilatc
| the critters. | approached the PANTRY
with Il lighted candle. opened the door
suddenly, and before the reaches fully
| realized my presence / had their escape
completely blocked 1t was Il sight worth
seeing Some OF them were in The corner
playing Copenhagen" Some were IN the
center of the pantry playing 'Rins-a-
/ round-rosy' When they saw the light
! they suddenly Interrupted their sports.
and made bee line Tor home Astouish
ment was written on every lincament of
their black bodies when they saw their
escape cut on | set the candle on the
/ floor, and bclaborod them right and LETT
with my weapon. Soon | had the floor
strewn with corpses All ut once my
/ light went out venerable looking pa
| lrlarchal sort OF coclropch. realizing that
/ the salvation of his family and relatives
/ lay In darkness had climbed lp the can.
die and thrown himself across the flame.
! Like Arnold Winkleried he died IN u
! lrice; but before ! could strike a match
the last of the still living bugs had found
some secret means of exit. and had ais
appeared. That's what | cnll intelligence.
have that heros body embalmod In my
collection. and since that adventure
I When ] want IS extermlnate them row |
treat them royalty TO 10 cents worth of
Poison"
II know Of similar case" said n coffin
drummer from Tuscaloosa, (which think
shows even greater Intelligence one
/ night l went to bed at the Grand hotel
| In Oneonta | took bottle of beer to my
bed and somptied It while dsrohcd. Then
/ ! threw myself upon my bed and began
/ reading a novel Presently | heard buz-
zng sound, and on looking M found a
/ dragon fly, or. as we children called IT, a
! BAD man s-uee dlc, flying about my head.
! ! struck out with my book. and The insect
turned his attention to the dregs of beer
standing on the bureau. lie bcBuu hnbib-
I ing the liquor. and | could see him grow
/ hilarious. He flew In a Eighty, irregular
| manner, and his buzzing seemed inter
! spersed with hiccoughs. | thought fl time
/ to interfere In the interest of his morals,
SO / arose, drove the fly out with fan
aud threw the beer glass and bottle into
/ the closet. Then | put out the Hight. 4
minute afterwards Mr. Dragonhy returned
ana began a search for the liquor. | was
/ With a buzz Of disappointment he new
| ont OF the window. and | conerai uiato1
myself on being rid OF him But reck-
oned without my host. IN a litle. while
! captured two lightning bugs. or fire ilys
I and holding one in each front foot. pro
erecI 70 ,hn' r nP IKE ne t'"n 'vra
~ . w. AMI s,,ind ", ma, AZ
\ m,o s,i ~ '''e
lirH ~ ,,iay, rlo,,cd ~, iaat irS,
| - - ,ta ,ri,do ha,eI 80 a,','a,,,,,
VI ~, ~. ,,r an1 Iir,.e,, ,I,e
! ny ~ Nv, ~, in,oyIcatn ~ hi,,tsnir -. III.
i9o, l''''ff. 70 sc 'N ,,, ''i,si AZ ,is
, ~ ~ any Va 80" "'"' '"''
S"fin no, ,,,e haliayo o." cane n choru.
-, M 10 VIC "''i"'e ~ e""e N"''"s
VI NoiVN''
o.-. 1T, ,o,@,, ,.,,.,..,.,, ,.o,o
! ANS s''u Jo"e"S eu'Ss'"'i' '',''
! Providence, are prnV"fbialiy Intelligent
I Wasn't il Solomon the diviney gifted
-, ,,.,,, s,Ia ,,,,eraI ,onrs oro 10 10
man WI" '''' '''" 'Ni9 49,
/ the ant. thou sluBgard; study her ways
and become wise?'"
a ,1>,,,o, e,,io,,,o, or Dsvta I don't re-
! ~,''e' cr,,.
/ member when interrupted the coiH
! drummer vino pr!ded himself on his Bib
| ,t,.aI 10
/ w" ~" Wy o,,o,ts, s,,.,.ostod tho t,bi.apo
~ an d,,, 80 h,'s,I no,,'dg ~
s"a9. - va ~, ~ ~, ,s,li,.aa 10 fheir
! ~ Hv ~ - ~ ,Lct. -, -
w, III '',"ti y" 70 ',,i 49,, e,od eo,erely
nc lrTnt,s ~ m't ~, ,.,dtn1 81
gu hnc,t, s'"t De e,t,,!.,,ae En-,
SII Jul 49, - ~ 1850 i,, a.
s,a M uS ,,, n, ~ on doY scoo,e cd