Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-09-09
By James Hopper

| ment was a double one. Hundreds oi
thousands Of the small carapaced crea-
lures were marching from the hole to tn,
hedge but as many were marching from
the hedge to the hole; they threaded
their way In and out OF each other
course, the two movements interpene.
trating each other. And bringing bis
long nose still lower, Peter saw that all
this had a character Of panic and dis
may; that, had this multitude not been
denied voice, a great confused clamor
would be rising from It to his high :
perched ear.
OF these Fastening from the vicinity
Of the excavation, every one was laden.
Carrying It high in their mandibles for
short exhausting runs, or dragging il
tierccly after them; over sticks that
were great logs to them, or pebbles
that were Himalayas; skirting or pierre
ing clumps Of grass which were impene.
trable jungle, they bore each a small
whitish thing which looked like grain,
which, in fact was a grain--the grain,
the life spark, the existence itself Of this
agitated nation.
Peter ran a glance backward over
their march and found its starting
point. The ants had all emerged, they
were emerging, from Ave small holes
near the excavation: five little holes
smaller than the hollow of wild -oat
straw. Out of them, ceaselessly, in a
constant trickle, they appeared into
the sunlight, carrying on high before
them, as the monk does the cross, the
sacred larva; or, backing up, fercely
snatching 1t along after them. Here
those of the army who marched the re-
verse way, and which all were without
burden, met those that we're coming
out and, letting them pass, after a mo :
ment's hesitation during which they
seemed to be calling 20 themselves all
their courage. resolutely plunged head
first down into the earth. Peter now
understood. He was the witness, the
god-like witness Of just such catas-
trophe as. in the tenebrous past, again
and again had nearly wiped out his own
kind. The water, which was filling the
excavation dug in the garden. from be
low had established communication with
the city of the ants. 1t was rising
slowly down in there; slowly, myster.
iously, inexorably; filling the lowest
chambers, rising along the galleries
bursting into halls; and the popula
tion, in mute uproar, was fleeing it,
crumbling city. hussing tight to itsel
its life kernel.
Peters heart thumped and his brair
famed. He saw clearly the great un.
derground city, its vast halls and din
secret chambers, Its interviewed CALLER
les vibrant with peril and disaster. II,
heard the sullen roar Of sudden in.
rushing waters. Walls fell in lary,
flakes. ceilings collapsed, floors sucke,
in, and thousand upon thousand ever!
second died. He saw the stubborn citi
zens, in this immense dissolution of al
they had ever been sure OF, tenaciousl,
toiling to snatch from this cataclysmi
threat the future Of the race, the grain
which were the concentrated promise o
future generations. Down there, a
every heart beat, thousands died sac
rificial death down there, unde
ground, a great holocaust was takin,
place, made splendid by myriad hero
Ism. Peter became much excited; h
shook.
DUT broom, a big, capable gardel
- broom now planted itself down n
his side; and without looking at NOR