262 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



it far more fitting material for an ant's jaws than a 

 man's !" 



" They certainly seem to find a use for it," I resumed, 

 " for the nursery man assured me that the ants made 

 foraging excursions even into his house, entered his 

 desk-drawers, and carried away a portion of his chew- 

 ing tohacco before the robbery was discovered. He had 

 to be very careful thereafter where he deposited the de- 

 lectable weed." 



"Truly," cried Abby, " wondei's never cease to be 

 explained. It has always 'been a mystery to me how the 

 tobacco-chewing habit could have originated among 

 men. But here we have it ! It comes down by long 

 descent from some far away emmet ancestor of ours !" 



"Tut, tut, Abby," interposed Aunt Hannah. 

 "What does thee mean by such nonsense?" 



"Nonsense! Why should you call it that?" re- 

 torted Abby, while her e3'es twinkled merrily. "It 

 was only a few days ago that I read, floating through 

 our daily papers, a saying of one of Mr. Mayfield's dis- 

 tinguished ant-loving friends to the efl'ect that if one 

 were to judge from intelligence and general affinity of 

 social haljit and organization alone, man might more 

 readily be derived from an ant than from an ape. So, 

 there ! My remark has the wisdom of the evolutionists 

 behind it, and a specialist's justification besides." 



" We cannot stop to settle the wisdom of Abby's re- 

 mark," I observed, "or even whether she is in jest or 

 earnest. But I wnll cordially endorse Sir John Lub- 

 bock's remark, with a good deal of emphasis, however, 



