AN ARGUMENT WITH A MOSQUITO 



By TUDOR JENKS 



I WENT into the Aclirondacks this 

 summer to hunt and to fish. We 

 were not far from Mount Marcy and, 

 one day while camping in the woods 

 at its base, I was left alone in the 

 shanty. The others were fishing, but 

 I had preferred to keep quiet, having 

 made a long tramp the previous evening. 



The woods were 

 beautiful, and I en- 

 joyed remaining 

 near the shanty all 

 the forenoon, and 

 all the afternoon, 

 until about four 

 o'clock. At that 

 hour, the mosqui- 

 toes, who had 

 bothered me but 

 little during the 

 day, seemed deter- 

 mined to devour 

 me. Their singing 

 was loud and 

 threatening, and 

 their bills seemed 

 sharper than ever 

 before. 



I threw damp 

 leaves on the fire, 

 to make what is 

 called in that re- 

 gion a "smudge." 

 I put oil of penny- 

 royal on my face 

 and hands; I 

 rubbed my bites 

 with various reme- 

 dies ; but, do what 

 I might, I could 

 not stand their at- 

 tacks. . . . . I could not 



I rose and started for a small stream 

 £hat was near ; but the clouds of sing- 

 ing lancets were thicker than ever. I 

 turned to regain the camp, and their 

 attacks ceased at once ! 



'This is strange," I said ; "I seem to 

 have found a place that is free from 

 the grievous little torments." 



But I halted as 

 I said this, and the 

 onslaught was at 

 once renewed. I 

 went again toward 

 the camp ; and 

 again I was left in 

 peace. 



"Ah !" I ex- 

 claimed, "you 

 mean to remain in 

 the camp" ; and I 

 made all haste to 

 reach the shanty. 

 While walking to- 

 ward it, I was not 

 bitten ; reaching 

 the fire, the charge 

 upon me was re- 

 sumed, all the little 

 creatures singing 

 and stabbing with 

 the fury of Zulus. 

 "There is surely 

 some method in 

 their campaign," I 

 muttered ; "an d 

 they seem to leave 

 me in peace only 

 when I do as they 

 please. Very well ; 

 I will let them 

 have their way. It 

 stand their attacks J s like playing 'hot 



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