CHAPTEK XVIII. 



SEVENTEEN YEARS UNDER GROUND. 



We were made happy by seeing the sleek sides of 

 Dr. Goodmau's old horse, "Bob," stop before our gate 

 on the Saturday afternoon preceding our next Conver- 

 sation. The dominie had promised to join us, if possi- 

 ble, in our concluding study of the natural history of 

 the Cicada, and to contril)ute some notes upon its 

 mythology and ethnology. In consideration of this, 

 our Conversation was arranged to begin a little earlier, 

 so that I might return with the Doctor to the Manse 

 that night, and remain Avith him over the Sunda}'. 

 Aunt Hannah and Pcnn were promptly in their places, 

 so that our circle was complete. 



"The duration of life in many winged insects," I 

 began, "is comparatively short, seldom exceeding two 

 or three weeks in extent, and in many is limited to the 

 same number of days, or hours. You need not be sur- 

 prised, therefore, if I tell you that the Cicida, or Har- 

 vest-tiy, lives only a few weeks after its transforma- 

 tion." 



"It always seemed very strange to me,"' said Aunt 



Hannah, "and sad, too, tliat such beautiful and perfect 



creatures should be doomed to so brief a life. 1 remem- 

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