256 AN .VN'GUY PHANTOM. 



victims into the dusty ground. Scarcely bad we done the deed, 

 when something like a qualm of conscience,, arising partly from 

 our penchant for gnats before recorded, partly from the magni- 

 fying turn our thoughts had taken, shot through our heart. It 

 passed, however, as rapidly away as the remnant of the insect 

 host, whose enjoyment we had so murderously interrupted ; 

 ; u id in a few minutes the drowsy incubus which had so long 

 hovered over our head fairly wrapped us in its leaden wings 

 in short, we feh 1 asleep. Still our waking fancies followed us. 

 It seemed as though one of the gnats we had just exterminated 

 rose from the ground, and, poized in air on a level with our 

 face, set up a shrill hum, which presently assumed the distinct- 

 ness of angry high-toned speech. "By what right," cried the 

 little apparition, "didst thou cut short the thread of my 

 joyous life?" 



" Because," answered we, " as one of creation's lords, M e 

 have the privilege of destroying every thing that invades our 

 peace." 



" And by \\hat ri^ht art thou a lord of creation?" 



tf 



" Bv the right of reason." 



v 



" Reason ! exclaimed the insect ghost ; " say rather by 

 right of size. Only let my stature equal thine, and see which 

 would then possess the mastery ! " 



As the winged phantom thus addressed us, her tiny form 

 expanded ; her long hairy shanks stretching downwards reached 

 the ground, and upwards waved like spectral arms above our 



