The weekly Butte record., 1862-06-07
'Cumulatin a Beehive.


while We were qaartered on Cheat Mountain
Summit
Where is it," asked one Of his two hear
ers.
If you'll promise to go along and helE
'cumulate it, I'll tell you
Count me one said Jed Wicks
Count me half dezen, If you want that
many" said Bill Reese.
But III tell you, boys, It's down at Rob
inson's on Cheat river, and worse than that,
its in the kitchen loft and still worse, be has
two alfred big cross bloodhounds.
Come to think" said Jed Wieks, -" |
haven't time TO GO"
I never agreed to GO said Bill Reese.
:" Look a-here, fellers, l tell you we can
'cumulate that ere honey, and ef you fellers
are altered to go, 1 can find somebody that
amt"
This left handler at their courage set them to
warding of with other excuses
I'm not Altered to go" said Jed, bat
maybe Robinson is Union man, and it
wouldn't DO, you know"
= Not by darn'd sight, he amt. He's one
of these cussed neutral Secesh that's ten times
wuss than an ont and-outer. He carries news
to the Greenbriar camp and I'll prove it on
him afore week"
But then" interposed Bill, " we can't get
past the camp guards: and If we could il
looks little too much like stealin'."
Gittin' past the guards amt common
amusement, said Jack just say you'll go
and the honey is ourn. Aud as to the moral
pint we'll go cording to law and custom, you
know. Fust, demandin' of the Secesh bees to
take the oath, they relusin', We arrest them,
and confscate their property. All fair and
legal, you see. What's stealin in time O.
peace. is confscatiu' end cumnlatin' in time o
war. For stealth you go to Jail, but for Gu
mulatin you git promoted. So you see, in
moral pint of view, it's iutirely different
Their qualms of conscience being thus salts
factory disposed of, and Jack having insured
their hides against the hounds, they agreed to
go if be would get pass to take them through
the guard lines.
Come right along, then" said Jack, and
they followed him to remote beat where was
walking to and fro German sentinel, who
could not read English After the usual chal-
enge, Jack advanced, and drew from the folds
of his pocket-book crumpled paper read as
follows:
CAMP CHEAT MOUNTAIN SUMMIT, VA,
October Is, 1861.
The guard will pass the bearer and two
comrades, on very important business.
Brigader General Milroy
The German understood none of this, except
the name and title of the general, and Jack, to
prevent him from calling corporal of the
guard, looked very important, and made him
understand that the general wished the expedi-
ton kept profound secret. The sentinel de-
ferentially stepped aside, and they passed on.
How in the dickens did you get that pass,
Jack p inquirid Bill.
Pass be hanged 1t was nothing but
little note Robinson sent up to the general
tolher day by me, about the boys's stealIn
from him. Yes, l give it to him much.'
Bat what does the note say?' eagerly in
quired Bill
Why, it says as how if the ginral lows
any of the soldiers to come stealin' about him,
his dogs shouldn't leave har nor hide of EN-
He done it to skeer me, as he noticed me
eyein' of his beehive. l TUX the hint and the
note and told him like as not some of the boys
would be down this very day. mabbe steal his
beehive or sonethn'. Says he, do you see
them ? pntin to his dogs Says l. believe
see EN- Says he, 'one @ them will tear the
hind legs off man the fust jerk, eff I tell EN-
to- Says I. keep sharp look out and men
toned to him specially to keep his eyes peeled
to-day"
Bill and Jed stopped.
Jack" said Bill, my 'pinion is you're
tryin to get Us feers into an Internal scrape.7
Nary time, felIers, nary time. jist want
ed the Secesh cuss to understand that Jack
Phillips could 'cumuate that beehive if him
and his dogs was a straddle of it. tell you,
pom my word and honor, that have the ropes
all laid, and that beehive Is as good as ourn
without AIRY scratch. III manage Robinson
and the dogs myself; they shanr so much as
look towards you"
After some further assurance, they proceed
ed, and when they approached the house they
erept quietly through the laurel to take re-
connoisance. There sat Robinson in the
very door through which they would have to
pass in order to reach the beehive, aud by the
doorstep lay the two ferocious dogs Appear
ances. certainly, were not very promising, but
Jack very quietly remarked, all right. old
feller."
Now, Bill" SAID he " you and Jed remain
here, silent and still, until you hear me boiler,
and then double-ouick in. vraD a blanket