, 1857-10-30
From the New York spirit of the Times
How Phelim O'Haggerden HiVed the Bees


Phelim O'Haggerden, though but a short
time from the ould countre, has already
acquired, in this, the distinction Of being a
broth Of q boy" Tall, heavily built, with
c profusion of yelowish brindle hair cover.
/, ing his brain-house-a face expressive Of
great good humor, yet with certain reck,
less "devil-may.care" twinkle of the eye
and compression Of the lip, which sign.
boards plainly said, "thus far canst thou
60 and no farther" A heart genial aS
sunshine to friend, but dark and terrible
as an Alpine storm to an enemy, he is both
loved and feared by those with whom his
fortune is intimately connected-ever ready
/, for a frolic or q fight, he is the life of the
one, and "goes his death /" upon the other.
With all the distinguishing characteris-
tics Of the sons Of that isle of which Tom
my Moore sang so often and so well, the
transplanting to "frae Ameriky" has re-
moved nought of the verdancy, nor abated
anything of Phelim's thirst for the creamy
poteen. Indeed, "bust-head" " whiskey is
Phelim's especial failing. lie will try it,
buy it, lie by it, lie for it, but have it be
will, and he frequently gets himself into
most wretchedy tangle-footed scrapes by
its too generous indulgence.
Phelim had tasted honey, and he thought
it delicious. He had seen bees at work,
and his heart throbbed to own some Of the
'industrus little craythurs." He thought,
and talked, and dreamed of them, aud his
wife says she to him, says she, "Phahm
onJ indoda - Mill La n orraof 90 vim IF m n
lasses and sugar, if We can get the dear
honey an sure the baes make combs, too,
an it's the childer's heads that are running
away wild 'em now :" and little bright boy
of ten lifted up his voice and told Phelim
to "plase get the beas, for indeed he was
baesiegSd oapitaHy, and the honey and
combs would be swate enoOmbinm upon
his paternal proclivities" And Phelim
was sore in spirit, for apiary luxuries cost
money, and he had none Of the surplus
needful. lie moped about town, neglect
ing his work for several days, and forswear.
ing oil thin potations," applied himself
most vigorously to the great unrectifed
with such success as to make him oblivious
of everything, save the one great leading
idea, ''honey and baes"
In this condition of "half seas over he
wandered to the woods adjoining the house
Of H. T., and threw himself upon the lux
uriant grass cargeting under large DER
shadowing oak. He watched closely the
bees as they flew from the surrounding how-
ers loaded with the treasures so much long
ed for, to see if be could not trace their
wild and hurried fight to their homes
Directly, a fine large fat-looking bee ap-
preached Phelim. A happy idea seized
him. His hat was appraised, and in a mo-
ment be was a captive. Keeping him long
enough to get him impatient of this "pent
up Utica" Phelim gently lifted up one cor
ner Of the hat and released him in the eX-
pectation that he would take direct fight
towards the hive, and he would thus be en-
abled to find its exact locality. The bee,
bewildered, circled around and about for a
few seconds, then took his course towards a
large poplar some fifty yards distant. Phe-
lin took a bee line for the tree, and on
reaching it, as soon as he had looked up,
commenced capering, and dancing, and
shouting, not exactly Eureka dOnliciliNm
apii" (dog Latin and monkey Greek mix
ed), but "Be Dad, and I've found the bae
tree, and the baes, an it's myself will have
the swate honey for the axing."
Indeed, and we are sorry to record it,,
the sight of the bees and the long heart
urned (poetical quite,) desire of owning
'jist sich" made Phelim even more crazy
than the "bust-head" had done, and he
started off in long lope for his house to
get the necessary articles for catching the
swarm. In short time he returned with
wife, children, and other household utensils,
such as "chist to put the baes in," and
tin pans and kettles to beat and make q
noise with, to distract the bees and keep
them from observing the movements of
Phelim while engaged in the operation Of
hiviug them. Phelim, with ''chist strap
ped to his back, assembled the tree, while
the rest of the family piled arms, and legs,
and voices below, in the endeavor to create
such harmony as would sooth the insects
into submission to his baecoming exertions.
He slowly approached them, and had al
most gotten into reaching distance, when
the shaking of the limb caused to come
forth several beligerent members of the
fraternity, who forthwith attacked and COM
PEELED him to retreat towards the body Of
the tree, grasping branch with one hand,
and fighting furiously with the other.
Bridget, sure an they are the purtiest
baes you ivcr laid your two eyes on, with
grey backs, and white faces, and big bodies;
indade, an they'll make power of honey"
Says Bridget: "PhOlim, dear, an you
had betther come down, if the baes show
so much resentment, and may be they are
not baes, after ALL"
Says Phelim: Sure, an don't l know
baes whinII see 'em, an do you think my
own mther's son would back out from a
parcel of little cowardly craythurs in the
first intintion? Och darling, an ye had
betther be kaping civil tongue in your
head, and not be throwing out sich imputa-
tions foreninst a rale Irish gentleman's
honor, or it's meself that'll be batting the
breath out Of ye when l get down !"
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