The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1906-06-06
LEGEND OF RE Llo4rNINo QUO
Clever and Fareiful Bit Of Writing In
Wichita Beacon.

From the Wichita Beacon.
Lightning thousands OF millions
Of them-nightiy now fit on the lawns.
among trees and gather in great swarm
ing parties over the low lands on the
Drinks OF wichita's rivers and creeks.
Last weeks moisture and the cool
damp nights that followed brought out
the luminous bugs by the myriad Like
the bugs OF last year, two years ago,
and even as far into the dimly remem-
bered past as grandpa can remember
she 1906 lightning bug goes about his
task Of self-lighting.
In the lightning bug that came to
Wichita this week, and caused not a
few casual observers to mistake him for
one OF the city's incandescent lights or
"bliniSers." here Is 10 be found no evi-
dei.ce OF Improvement. lie goes about
his Matchmaking task just as did his
forofathers. foreuncles and foreaunts.
Look as closely as you will and you can
not find Unemployment Of even one mod-
ern method. What WAS good enough
for his ancestors satisfies him. Not
withstandng that IN the world in which
/ fate has placed the little Diogenes Is
machinery for all purposes, the little
fellow trails sauarely IN the rut as his
family has always done
He goes laundering through existence,
With his headlight on behind"
There Is an almost forgotten bit II his
! tory that came TO pass years and years
ago H. the family Of the lightning bug
once ON time the lightning bug was
Just a common beetle Like other mem
bers OF the beetle family he was heauu-
fui. His wings and body we adorned
with beautiful colors and fo' ais great
beauty he was much sour = tar orna.
ment. In olden times the beviiys that
are now lightning bugs-so the bit ei
ancient hiatory ruls-were used by jew
elers and makers Of hnery for women.
As the years wore on tie beetles be-
came more ana more popular Tor ona.
mental purposes. Millions were cap.
tured IN a single night and the beetl,
family was threatened with externina.
ton. For relief great meeting wa'
called and the beetles On convention
prayed to their fairy god for protection
Eve are exceedingly beauufui" theS
explained 10 the fairy god. "and because
Of our great beauty we are much sought
We are without protection for boz th'
night time when there IS no light w
fare overtakon and fan into the hands o
men who put Us to death because Of oul
beauty"
Hearing theprayers Of the beetles th'
fairy god pondered long and then con
ceivei plan that would relieve thi
troubled family OF beetles whose beauty
threatened it with determination Thl
beautiful wings Of tie beetle were trans
formed into hard. shell like wings tina
would serve the beetle and not induc
his capture. The sunlight that had beel
consumed 70 make the bright cOlOra o
the beetles wings was gathered into
tiny spark and spread beneath his new
hard shell like wings and became Ian
tern for his guidance.@
In the thousand years that have pass
ed since the beetle lost his beauty ap
gained a lantern for his guidance an
protection. he has gone about night
lifting his wings and lighting his path
There - now little inducement for th
capture Of the luminous beetle. lie
without beauty and has no commercia
value. Some Wichita boys and girl
catch them and turn glasses over ther
10 see them maze light" Grown u
persons 90 not modest them and the mum
Der that meet death b. capture Il IN
deed small since The eaily covered bus
losi theig peRpi, ana saiped . iansern.