turner A POTATO BEETLE CHRONICLE 369 



appear soon. He is such a pretty little fellow with his rows of 

 black spots down each side like rows of shiny buttons. 



I have heard so much here about evolution. I wonder if these 

 spots could be buttons "evoluting." They certainly have great 

 advantages over buttons, for no laundress, however willing, could 

 wring them off or crack them like a nut with the iron. 

 July 24. 



Columbus is gone. I looked for him the first thing this morning, 

 and .hunted every place but found no trace of him: so, I decided 

 that he had gone down to join Ferdinand. I examined the 

 ground but there was no clue to his whereabouts. "No man 

 knows his sepulcher." What faith these little creatures have. 

 July 25. 



Over the glass I have erected a little sign that reads, 



"Here lie Columbus and Ferdinand 



Deeply buried beneath the sand, 



Think not, dear reader, this ends your woes, 



They've only retired to change their clothes." 



Some of the students dig their pupae up every day to see how 



they are getting along, but this seems like such a ghoulish trick, I 



am going to let mine rest in peace and besides, patient reader, you 



need a rest, too, so look at these stars until you hear that Columbus 



and Ferdinand are up or have at least sprouted. 

 ******** 



CHAPTER IV 



The Beetle 

 Aug. 9. 



During all these long days, there was no sign of life in the glass 

 where Ferdinand and Columbus had gone down. 



Once I tried to scrape away the earth from them but my heart 

 failed me. I so dreaded breaking their little wings. But this 

 morning the suspense was too great and I bribed a student named 

 Miss Clark to dig them up. She went at the task with a stout 

 heart and a pair of pincers, and soon unearthed a perfect beetle. 

 He was sitting so still that we were unable to be sure he was alive. 

 I called him Ferdinand for he was in the same place where his 

 royal highness had buried himself. Columbus was no place to be 

 seen, so this is another case of history repeating itself, for you will 

 remember that no one is quite sure where the bones of the "Great 

 Admiral" rest. 



