Three were apparently
dead, but the faithful fellows licked and rubbed them quite dry, rolling
them over and over, stretching themselves on them, and in a truly
skillful and scientific manner sought to bring back life to their
benumbed bodies. Under this treatment three came to life, while one only
partly restored was carefully borne away. 'I have seen it' is Du Pont de
Nervours's comment on what he thinks may be considered a marvelous
story, though it seems no more wonderful to me than many well-attested
facts in the lives of the little people."
"It's all wonderful," Susie said. "It seems as though they must think
and reason and plan just as we do. Don't you think so, Auntie?"
"Indeed I do, Susie. One who has long studied their ways ranks them next
to man in the scale of intelligence, and says the brain of an ant--no
larger perhaps than a fine grain of sand--must be the most wonderful
particle of matter in the world."
"But they can't talk, Auntie?"
"I am not so sure of that. Their voices may be too fine and high-pitched
for our great ears to hear. I fancy there is a deal of conversation
carried on in the grass and the bushes and the trees, that we know
nothing about."
"How funny! What did you mean, Auntie, when you said the queen laid off
all her flounces and furbelows.
Pages:
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99
100