FIRE-FLIES. 59 



CHAPTER VIII. 



FIRE-FLIES. 



SOME years ago an American gentleman, visiting in one 

 of the large cities of South America, was invited to a 

 masquerade ball at one of the finest private residences in the 

 city. The ball-room was the garden, a veritable fairy-land 

 abounding in plants of the most novel and beautiful descrip- 

 tion, and upon the grass had been laid an extended plat- 

 form for the dancers. It was moonlight when the festivities 

 began, and no artificial lights were used ; yet at various 

 intervals among the flowers soft gleams appeared, apparently 

 for ornament. Among the first comers was a tall gentleman 

 dressed in a style of several centuries ago, a most picturesque 

 costume ; but what particularly attracted the attention of the 

 American were the decorations of this gentleman and his 

 companion. Around the broad-brimmed hat he wore a band 

 of what appeared, from a distance, to be gems, that flashed 

 like diamonds, presenting a magnificent appearance. The 

 lady's costume was still more remarkable, being fairly ablaze 

 with these brilliant scintillations. As the evening wore on, 

 he was presented to these maskers, when he found that the 

 light proceeded from innumerable luminous insects which 

 had been secured by delicate wires, and fastened upon the 

 hat and the lady's dress. 



