The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1862-05-10
"Cnmulatin' A Beehive.


Boys, 1 know where there is Secesh
beehive said Jack Phillips, one dull
morning, while we were Quartered on
| Cheat Mountain Summit
Where is itY asked one of his two
| hearers.
Ifyou'll' promise to 60 along and help
to 'cumulate it, I'll tell you
Count me one, said Jed Wicks
Count me half dozen, if you want that
many, said Bill Reese.
But Ill tell you boys, it's down at Rob
ison's, on Cheat River, and worse than
that, it's IN the kitchen loft; and still
worse, he has two all fred cross blood
hounds.'
Come to think, said Jed Wick's, 4
havn't time to 60
4 never agreed to 60, said Bill Reese
Look here, fellers, tell you we can't
lrcdmd1ate that ere honey, and ef you fell.
ers Are afraid to 60, can find somebody
that ain't
This left handler at their courage set
them 10 warding off with other excuses
I'm not Altered to 60, said Jed, but
may be Robinson is Union man, and it
WOULDN'T do you know
Not by darned sight he amt. He's
one OF these cussed neutral Secesh, that's
ten times wuss than an out and outer
He carries news to Greenbrier camp, and
Ill prove it on him efore a week.
But theh, interrupted Bill, we cant
get past the camp guards, and If we could,
it looks a little too much like stealth.
Gettin pest the guards ain't common
musemont. said Jack, Jist say you ii 60,
and the honey in ou-n. And as to the
moral pint, we II 20 'cording to law and
custum, you know. Fust, demandin Of
the Secesh bees to take the oath, they re-
fusin' we arrest them and confscate their
property All fair and legal, you see
What's stealing in times o peace is con
fiscation:: and EcumulAtin in time o war
For stealth you go to Jail, but for cumu
latin you git promoted. So, you see, In a
moral pint of view it's iniirely different
Their qualuas of conscience being thus
satisfactory disposed Of, and Jack having
insured their hides against the hounds
they agreed to 20 if he would get pass
to take them through the guard lines.
Come right along, then, he said, and
they followed him TO the remote beat,
where was walk ing to and fro, German
seminal, who could not read English
After the usual challenge, Jack advanced
and drawing from the folds of his pocket
book a crumpled paper, read as follows;
CHEF CHEAT MoUSrarS SUMMIT. Va,
October IS, lo6l
The guard will pass the bearer. and two
comrades Of very important business.
Brig Gen. Milroy.'
! The German understood none OF this,
except the name and title of the General
( and Jack to prev, Mt him from calling a
! corporal Of the guard, looked very impor-
| tant, and made him understand that the
/ General wished the expedition kept pro.
| found secret The sentinel deferentially
stepped sside and they passed on.
How in the dickens. did you get ,ha;
| pass, Jack ? inquired Bill
Pass be hanged! 1t was nothing but a
little note Robinson sent up to the Gener,
al t'other day by me, about the boys steal.
! in from him. Yes, / gave 1t TO him
much
But what does the note saw eagerly
! inquired Bill.
/ Why it says as how il the Ginsral laws
any Of the soldiers stealin about him. his
dogs shouldn't leave har nor de of en-
! He done it to skeer me, rs he noticed me
eyin' of his bee hiyo. took the hint and
| told him like as not some of the bows wo d
be down this very day, and mebhe steal
| his bee hive or somethin; says he, do YOU
see them pintin' at his dogs Says /,
| keep n sharp lookout, and mentioned to
him specially to keep his eye peeled to
day
Bill and Jed stopped
Jack, said Bill, my opinion is you re
! trying to get us INTO an Internal scrape
Nary time, fellers; nary time. lust
want the Secesh cuss to understand that
Jack Phillips can 'cumulate that bee hive
! if him and his dogs were straddle eff it.
/ I tell you pom honor, that l have the
ropes all laid, and that bee hive is as good
as ourn without airy scratch. Ill manage
| Robinson and the dogs myself; they shan t
as much as look towards you.
| After some further assurances they pro
ceeded, and when they approached the
I house they crept qui. .tly thro' the laurel
| to make q reconnaissance. There sat Rob
inson in the very door through which
they had to pass in order TO reach the bee
hive, and by the doorstep, lay the two fe-
| rocious dogs
promising, but Jack quietly remarked,
all right, old feller.'
Now Bill said he, you and Jed re.
main here, silent and still, until you hear
me hollar and then double quick in,
a
bring it into the laurel up the pint, You
needn't be afeer'd of Robinson and the
dogs. they IL be tended to-
| About two hundred yards from the
house was foot way across the river, that
part farthest from the house being a single
plank. The water was three or four feet
| deep, swift and cold and the banks quite
bluff.
In about an hour from the time JAG X
left his frienis, Robinson was startled by
hearing a squawking in the direction of
the bridge. and looking up saw Jack eros.
| sing the river with chicken under his
arm.
HOLD on there, you Internal scoundrel =
he shouted, or III set the dogs on you
Here tiger. here Maze and he and the
days started on a run.
'Ta:nt none OF your chicken shouted
Jack, feigning fright. Ill see whose
chicken it Isl you Yankee thief
Jack stopped at the further end of the
foot way, and stood with his foot under
one end of the plank, while Robinson adj
vanced from the other shaking his fist
aud exclaiming:
Tll teach you to come here stealth, you
pilferin, scounderly abolition
Kersouse
| Jack had dexterously thrown the end
of the pl; nix sidewise, and Robinson and
the dogs were Aoundering, and fighting
and climbing over each other in four feet
of water, Jack gave loud shout, took to
his heels and at the appointed rendezvous
found his comrades with o hive of rich
honey Wakes Sp,rik
The "paper blockade is getting troub
| lesome to the South. The Ella Marley,
one of the most successful of the rebel
privateers, has been captured by block.
aiding vessel. She had cargo of Enfield
rifles and common. The Nashville, with a
similar freight, was chased, but outran her