The Birmingham age-herald., 1912-11-01
By II. D. Thoreau.

By Fl D. Thoreau.
 ONE day when I went out to my |( wOOdplle. or rather T.. my ,yuIa pile nts Of O stumps, I observed two large ants' +be one red. the other, much larger, near lv half an inch long, and black herceiy contending with each other. Having enec got hold, they never let go' Sut strus- eled and wrestled anderolled on the chips necessarily.
 Looking farther, 1 was surprised 'o find that the chips were covered with such combatants; that 1t was not duellum, but a bellum-a war between two races of ants, the red always pi.'eu against the black, and frequently t"o red ones to one black. The iegions oi these myrmidons covered all the Vaies and hills of my woodward, and the ground was already strewn with the dead anu dying, both red and black.
 If was the only battle which have ever witnessed, the only battle field ever ,rod while the battle was raging; inter neeine war-the red republicans on the ona hand. the black imperialists on the other. On every side they were engageo in deadly combat, yet without any noise that could hear; and human soiolers never fought so resolutely.
 I watched couple that were fast locked in each others embrace, in httle sunny valley amid the chips now at noon day prepared to fight until the sun went down or life went out. The smaller red
 foc himself like a wise to his adversary's front, and through all the tumblings on that field, never TOT an instant ceased to gnaw at one ol ms fee,ers near the root, having aireaoy o,rsed the other to go by the boaru' while the stronger black one dasned nm from side to side, and as saw on ioofins reorer had already divested him of seV- eral of his members.
 They fought with more pert'nacity tnan bulldogs Neither manifested ,he
 disposition to retreat. It was evident Una. their battle cry was Conquer or uie'
 In the meanwhile, there came aiohs snole red ant on the hillside or tnis valley evidently full of excitement, who either had dispatched his foe, or had not vet taken part in the battle-propaoiy 'ne latter. for he had lost none or HIS hnios
 whose mother had charged him to return his shield or upon it.
 a.. ar.banca he was some Achilles,
 vbo b.d nourished his wrath apart. and had now come to avenge or rescue HIS Patroclus. He saw this unequal coih- hat from afar-for the blacks were neariy 1 twice the size of the reds. He drew nearer with rapid pace till he stood on his guard within half an inch of the combatants; ; then watching his opportunity, he sprang mon the black warrior and commenced his operations near the root Of his right I forelee. leaving the foe to select among | his own members: and so there were three united for life, as if new kind of at traction had been invented which put all other locks and cements to shame l I should not have wondered by this tune to find that they had their respective
 musical bands stationed on some eminent chip and playing their national airs the
 while to excite the slow and cheer the dy- ing connbatants I was myself excited somewhat, even as if they had been men. The more you think of it, the less the diff ference. And certainly there is not the fight reported in Concord history at least, if in the history of America, that will Aear moments comparison with this,
 whether for the numbers engaged in It, or for the patriotism and heroism dis- played.
 For numbers and for carnage, it was an | Austerlitz or Dresden. I have no doubt
 that it was principle they fought for, as much as our ancestors, and not to avoid 1 a 3 penny tax on their tea, and the result of this battle will be as important and memorable to those whom it concerns as those of the battle of Bunker Hill. at 7 least.
 { took up Ahe chip on which the three