WINGS FOR AN HOUR

Hokitika Guardian, 3 November 1924, Page 4

WINGS FOR AN HOUR

HOW WHITE AXIS STOPPED A DANCE.

(By M. Stevenson.) There is nothing that brings with it such freshness ami relief as the monsoon in India. After the blazing heat and choking dust of the hot weather, the rain is worth anything; even the myriads of insects that it brings out into the open. The insects seem to rejoice in the cool dampness as much as humans, and the flying white ants rush out with a recklessness that costs them their wings and their lives. One shower is enough to bring them out in swarms. They aro more like grubs than ants, a dirty white and soft, with long, narrow wings. As they leave their holes they rise into the air, and crash into one object after another as though drunk with freedom. In time this violent collisioning shakes oil' their wings, or so it. seems, and they fall to the ground, where they crawl aimlessly abou till they are crushed hv the net they are unable to avoid. If they fly on to a human being they crawl mindly over him. up sleeves and down cellars, until their poor victim becomes frantic in his efforts to shake them 01T before, some blow ends their careo” in horrid smears. T.ike most insects they will always fly into a light, mil a basin of water placed under a lamp catches its lill within a few momc'.iU. Once, during a dance at a station in the south of India, there was a heavy shower after a few days break in the monsoon. As the rain stopped the

white ants came out, and rushed into the brightly-lighted ballroom. In a moment both dancers and hand had seemingly turned into raving lunatics, beating the air with their hands, ai.d instruments, and swearing. The floor was streaked in every direction, and still more ants ettni.e. The ladies, may victims in their low-necked frocks, retired to the dressing-room. Servants were called in, basins of water placed under all the lights, and the floor had to be swept and reelialkcd beio'.o the dance could go on. Once their wings were oil' the ants could he dealt with, and ill an hour they had gone. Swept out on to the rubbish heap.