The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1897-08-15

II was cool and pleasant there under
the tree. The giant turned to the fighters
under the glass. They were standing up
on their hindmost legs and paving the
air with their feelers. One had seized the
other by a front leg and his antagonist was
in turn fencing for a chance upon his head,
stretching his pincers TO their utmost and
striving in an excess Of combativeness to
get that much desired and always decis-
i've neck hold. Thus they struggled for
nearly an hour, when, by dint Of that
wonderful power Of exertion which gives
this ant the name Of herculeanea. the leg
pinched fellow managed TO infiict a death
wound. Then the other kneeled graceful
~ and lay stock stu. But yet his mandi-
bles clutched that leg. They were locked
upon it more hXedy than grip clutches
cable. For a long time the victor labored
TO release himself and the giant assisting
him all he could with sharpened twigs,
could give him no aid that would not re-
suit in the loss of the leg. SO the victor
whose victory seemed dubious everything
considered, walked off the handkerchief
dragging the Vanquished with him among
the dead leaves and was soon lost to view
Returning TO the battlefield, the giant
saw the night was going on as ferocously
as ever. The number of warriors, how
ever, had grown less, and the number
Of slain had sWelled prodigiously. With
some -four procured from a cottage up
the canyon a few thousands of the Tro-
JAMS who were not yet in the fight were
coated like millers, TO distinguish them
from the Greeks, and then the warriors
were left to the joys of battle for several
hours
When the sun had sunk below the shout
der OF Tamalpais another visit was paid
TO the field. The battle seemed to be
nearly over, and by reason of the fact
that many of the whited ones were run
b d ~ ne
ing peaceful vocauons, it was apparent
mat Troy had won the day, though at
what cost the heaps of dead and diving
plainly attested. There was still desult-
DRY fighting on the outskirts of the town.
and probably 500 ants We're engaging as
many more, but the main body of Troians
We're no longer warriors, but heWers of
wood and haulers of food. An eager par
ty was carrying into town thousands of
eggs captured from the vanquished
Greeks. These eggs, according TO the ira
ditions of the ant race, would be left in
the nests to hatch out ants who would be-
come the slaves OF their caDtors so that
part of the Trojan loss would in time be
made good. OH a wonderfully bright fell
low is your ant. In Texas there is a race
of him that sows seeds and gathers great
stores Of grain.
Down the cowpath. fifty feet away.
marched a sorry army of Greeks, with its
octAA ass ANu queen anu It's sorry princes OF
the royal blood. They had lost half their
valiant band and were as completely rout-
ed as were the brave Frenchmen at Water
loo.
But why do these five hundred remain
and fight and fight in as hopeless a strug-
gle as that of the six hundred of the ia
nous charge? Is it for the sake of fame
for glorious names in ant history? It may
be there are heroes even among ants
With sticks and straWs the giant tries to
separate the remaining combatants and
save a few warriors TO show their scars
and tell tales of the awful carnage around
their hearths in future years But to think
Of stopping an ant battle is one thing and
stopping ii is another So the giant drops
his sticks and straws and goes his way
leaving the brave warriors TO fight in
peace.