But the Mantis, the ecstatic insect
with the arms always raided in an atti
mde of supreme i?ivocatkm. the hor-
hil.-e .Mantis regliosa, or praying in
du es better still eats her
husbands (lo the insatiab le creature
i :u limes centimes seven or eig ht
nanlng) while they pre ss her passion
ately to their heart. Her inconceiv
able kiss es devour, not metaphorically,
iiUt in an appallingly real fashion, the
iiMat ed choice of her soul or her
.stomach. Sh begi ns wuh the head,
oes down to the lborax, and do es not
stop till she comes to the hind legs,
which she deems too tough. Sh then
pushes away the unfortunate remains,
while a new lover, who was quietly
awaiting the end of the monstrous
banquet, heroically comes forwa rd to
undergo the same fate.Maurice Mae
terlinck in the Forum.
SHOCK OF BIG GUN FIRING
Deafness Is a Sure Result and Nerves
and Senses are Terribly
Strained.
One of the penalties attendant on
firing off big guns is deafness. So sure
is this penalty to be exacted that, it is
asserted, no man can go through a
long series of gunnery practise with
out, having his hearing affected. A
stranger on deck who hears a big gun
speak for the first time will not soon
ferget the stunning report.
One gun is enough to startle a
stranger, but the shattering effect of
the whole armament when in action
together can hardly be conceived. The
strain upon nerves and senses when
the rending concussion takes place is
terrible.
