Brute Neighbors

ng,andblack,fiercelycontendingwithoneanother.Havingoncegotholdtheyneverletgo,butstruggledandwrestledandrolledonthechipsincessantly.Lookingfarther,Iwassurprisedtofindthatthechipswerecoveredwithsuchcombatants,thatitwasnotaduellum,butabellum,awarbetweentworacesofants,theredalwayspittedagainsttheblack,andfrequentlytworedonestooneblack.ThelegionsoftheseMyrmidonscoveredallthehillsandvalesinmywood-yard,andthegroundwasalreadystrewnwiththedeadanddying,bothredandblack.ItwastheonlybattlewhichIhaveeverwitnessed,theonlybattle-fieldIevertrodwhilethebattlewasraginginternecinewartheredrepublicansontheonehand,andtheblackimperialistsontheother.Oneverysidetheywereengagedindeadlycombat,yetwithoutanynoisethatIcouldhear,andhumansoldiersneverfoughtsoresolutely.Iwatchedacouplethatwerefastlockedineachother’sembraces,inalittlesunnyvalleyamidthechips,nowatnoon-daypreparedtofighttillthesunwentdown,orlifewentout.Thesmallerredchampionhadfastenedhimselflikeavicetohisadversary’sfront,andthroughallthetumblingsonthatfieldneverforaninstantceasedtognawatoneofhisfeelersneartheroot,havingalreadycausedtheothertogobytheboardwhilethestrongerblackonedashedhimfromsidetoside,and,asIsawonlookingnearer,hadalreadydivestedhimofseveralofhismembers.Theyfoughtwithmorepertinacitythanbull-dogs.Neithermanifestedtheleastdispositiontoretreat.Itwasevidentthattheirbattle-crywasConquerordie.Inthemeanwhiletherecamealongasingleredantonthehill-sideofthisvalley,evidentlyfullofexcitement,whoeitherhaddespatchedhisfoe,orhadnotyettakenpartinthebattleprobablythelatter,forhehadlostnoneofhislimbswhosemotherhadchargedhimtoreturnwithhisshieldoruponit.OrperchancehewassomeAchilles,whohadnourishedhiswrathapart,andhadnowcometoavengeorrescuehisPatroclus.Hesawthisunequalcombatfromafar,—fortheblackswerenearlytwicethesizeofthered,—hedrewnearwithrapidpacetillhestoodonhisguardwithinhalfaninchofthecombatantsthen,watchinghisopportunity,hesprangupontheblackwarrior,andcommencedhisoperationsneartherootofhisrightfore-leg,leavingthefoetoselectamonghisownmembersandsotherewerethreeunitedforlife,asifanewkindofattractionhadbeeninventedwhichputallotherlocksandcementstoshame.Ishouldnothavewonderedbythistimetofindthattheyhadtheirrespectivemusicalbandsstationedonsomeeminentchip,andplayingtheirnationalairsthewhile,toexcitetheslowandcheerthedyingcombatants.Iwasmyselfexcitedsomewhatevenasiftheyhadbeenmen.Themoreyouthinkofit,thelessthedifference.AndcertainlythereisnotthefightrecordedinConcordhistory,atleast,ifinthehistoryofAmerica,thatwillbearamoment’scomparisonwiththis,whetherforthenumbersengagedinit,orforthepatriotismandheroismdisplayed.FornumbersandforcarnageitwasanAusterlitzorDresden.ConcordFight!Twokilledonthepatriots’side,andLutherBlanchardwounded!WhyhereeveryantwasaButtrick,—“Fire!forGod’ssakefire!”—andthousandssharedthefateofDavisandHosmer.Therewasnotonehirelingthere.Ihavenodoubtthatitwasaprincipletheyfoughtfor,asmuchasourancestors,andnottoavoidathree-pennytaxontheirteaandtheresultsofthisbattlewillbeasimportantandmemorabletothosewhomitconcernsasthoseofthebattleofBunkerHill,atleast. ItookupthechiponwhichthethreeIhaveparticularlydescribedwerestruggling,carrieditintomyhouse,andplaceditunderatumbleronmywindow-sill,inordertoseetheissue.Holdingamicroscopetothefirst-mentionedredant,Isawthat,thoughhewasassiduouslygnawingatthenearfore-legofhisenemy,havingseveredhisremainingfeeler,hisownbreastwasalltornaway,exposingwhatvitalshehadtheretothejawsoftheblackwarrior,whosebreastplatewasapparentlytoothickforhimtopierceandthedarkcarbunclesofthesufferer’seyesshonewithferocitysuchaswaronlycouldexcite.Theystruggledhalfanhourlongerunderthetumbler,andwhenIlookedagaintheblacksoldierhadseveredtheheadsofhisfoesfromtheirbodies,andthestilllivingheadswerehangingoneithersideofhimlikeghastlytrophiesathissaddle-bow,stillapparentlyasfirmlyfastenedasever,andhewasendeavoringwithfeeblestruggles,beingwithoutfeelersandwithonlytheremnantofaleg,andIknownothowmanyotherwounds,todivesthimselfofthemwhichatlength,afterhalfanhourmore,heaccomplished.Iraisedtheglass,andhewentoffoverthewindow-sillinthatcrippledstate.Whetherhefinallysurvivedthatcombat,andspenttheremainderofhisdaysinsomeHoteldesInvalides,IdonotknowbutIthoughtthathisindustrywo