Maryland independent. [volume] (Port Tobacco, Md.) 1874-current, 1901-09-13

6H0ff@ 'aNs anu Vui huttCut uEAAtuA-
has sorely shrunken, our warfare shall
be the mightiest among created
things"
Hardly had the leviathan uttered
the last word when, with a roar like
Niagara bursting Its bonds in spring.
he hurled his vast bulk headlong upon
the elose-gathered band of his huge
offspring. His body was like a bent
how, and its recoi tore the amazs i
sea into deep whirls and eddies as u
an island had f0undered. Full upon
the foremost one he fell. and deep an
swered unto deep with the impact.
That awful blow dashed its recipient
far into the soundless depths, where
the champion sped swiftly forward on
his course. unable to turn until his
impetus was somewhat spent. Before
he could again face his foes. the three
we're upon him. shifting him with Ii
tanie hukc strokes. circling beneath
him with intent TO catch the down
hanging shaft Of his lower Jaw. rising
swiftly. end on. beneath the broad
spread of his belly. leaping high into
the bright air and falling heavily up
on his wide back.
The tormented sea foamed and
hissed in angry protest. screaming sea-
birds circled around the conflict. ray-
ening sharks gathered from unknoNn
distances. seeming blood. and all the
countless tribes OF ocean wait.d
aghast Bat after the first red fury
had passed came the wariness. came
the fruitage of all those years of train
ing. all the accumulated instincts Of
ages to supplement blind brutal force
with deep-lald schemes of attack and
defence. As yet the three survivors
were but slightly injured. for they
had so divided their attack, even in
that first great onset. that the old
warrior could not safely single out
one for destruction. Now the young
est. the spokesman. glided to the
ron' of his brethren and faced his
wai''a~ sire;
Wat so soon weary? Thou art
oidcr thzn we thought. Truly. this
bate hata been delayed too long. We
Toe 4 for fight that should be re-
NJ 'bered for many generations. and
ief o. Out Of the corner of his
sc lie saw the foam circles rise as the
ast tail Of the chief curved inward
ior the spring and he. TIE seorner,
!aunchea himsslf backwards a nun
ared fathoms at bound. After him.
.ta'ins Ike any salmon in a spate.
came The terrible oldvarrier. the smit.
en w4ves boiling around him as ne
1shed them aside in his tremendous
| pursuit. Bat herein the pursued had
he advantage. for II is a peculiarly
OF the sperm whale that. while he
cannot see before him. bis best arc of
vision is right astern. So that the
| prisuer must needs be guided by
7oand and the feel OF the water. and
e very vigor of his chase was telling
FAR more upon his vast bulk than np.
on the iither form of his flying enc
my.
In this matter the monarch's Wig
dom was of no avail, for experience
could not tell him how advancing age
handieaps the strongest. and he won
dered TO find numbness creeping
along his spine-to feel that he was
growing weary. And suddenly, with
IN eei-like movement. the pursued
one described circle beneath the
water. rising swiftly, as a dolphin
springs towards his pursuer. and DASH
ing at the dangling. cleaning jaw.
These two great jaws met in elashing
contest. breaking of dozen or so of
the huge teeth and ripping eight or
ten feet of the gristly muscle from
the throat Of the aggressor. But hard
ly had they swung clear of each other
than the other two were fresh upoa
the scene. and while the youngest one
rested. they effectually combined to
prevent their fast-weskening foe nom
rising to breathe. No need now tor
them to do more. for the late enor-
nous expenditure OF force had so
drained his vast body OF It's prime ne
eessity that the issue OF the fight was
| but question OF minutes.
Yet he still fought CALAMITY, though
with lungs utterly empty-all the
rushing torrent OF his blood growing
fetid for lack OF vltalizing air. At
last, with roar as of a cyclone
through his head, he turned on his
side and yielded to his triumphant
1 eonquerors. who drew of and allowed
him TO rise Imply to the now quiet
sea surface. For more than an hour
he lay there prone. enduring all the
agony of his overthrow and seeing
for before him the long. lonely vista
Of his solitary wauderings. a lone
whale driven from his own. and new
ermore to rule again.
Meanwhile. the three had departed
in search of their brother. smitten SO
soreiy early in the fight that he had
not since Joined them When they
found that which had been he. il was
the centre Of an innumerable host of
hungry things that fed to air or sea
depths at their approach. A glance
revealed the manner of his end "a
broken back--while already. such had
heen the energy OF the sea people. the
| great framework OF his ribs was partly
aid bare. They made no regrets Tor
the doing of useless things finds -
place in their scheme of things. Then
the younger said: so the question
of overiordship lies between us three.
and ! an unwilling that it should
await settlement. | claim the leader
ship and am prepared here and now
10 maintain my right" This bold as
sertion had its effect upon the two
hearers. who. after long pause, re-
piled: We accept, o king. fully and
freely. until the next battle day ar
rives. when the succession must be
maintained by thee in ancient form"
So the matter was settled and proud
ly. the young monarch set of to re-
/ join the waiting school, Into their
midst he glided with an air Of eon-
scious majesty. psusing in the centre
to receive the homage and affection
ate earesses of the harem No ques-
tions were asked as to the waerea-
bouts of the deDosed sovereign. nor as