The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1869-08-20
love make, thrcc-quarter, of all tho troub

love makes thrce-quarters of all tho troub-
le there is."
"Why no; I think love Is the most beau
tifnl thing In life!" she said, earnestly; but
Mt the same time time the color rose in her
face, and she looked slightly uneasy.
One of Bellies old maids! / thought a.
gain and she sits here thinking love the
most beautiful thing in life!
While we were talking the hum and buzz
OF the bees increased rapidly, and there
seemed to be perfect cloud of them issu-
Ing from one of the hives and lowering
over 1t. Some of them few so near their
wings almost brushed my cheek, and i
started.
They're swarming." said Sarah, in q
low, excited voice. "Don't move quick or
act frightened; they won't hurt you. oh,
hope they will settle In our yard some
where. last summer one swarm went n
mile Off"
There was clatter of horses hoofs
down the road.
There are Belle and Mr.. Brooks" I
exclaimed.
Sarah had risen, and stood with one
hand resting on low limb of the apple
tree, while she looked first mt the bees and
then at Belle In her pretty blue habit
springing to the ground.
Belle saw us, and came running round
the house with her little whip in her hand,
while Mr.. Brooks fastened tho horses.
"Oh, we had such q splendid ride!" she
exclaimed. "But, mercy, how those bees
act! Do come away; you'll get stung."
"Oh, no, Belle; they won't touch you If
you keep STILL" said Sarah. "Wercn't you
pleased with the cliff? It Is so fine in
summer, with the laurels and rhododen-
drons all in bloom"
"Eees swarming, chp" asked Mr..
Brooks, joining us; "I'll hive them for
you, If they settle soon, Sarah"
"Oh, thank you." she said; ~ was Just
going i'm to blow the horn for James; he
Is down in the meadow lot. But ifyou will
do 1t, Hugh, you had better ask mother
right away for the gloves"
The flying and buzzing grew so formid-
able that was alarmed they seemed to
darken the very air before my eyes.
"Go away, you wretch !" cried Belle,
striking with her whip; "oh, oh! l nm
stung! oh, they are killing met"
"Sarah, Sarah!" screamed Aunt En-
from the window "don't you stir hand
nor foot; they're settling on your arm
Belle, run in here rs fast rs you can, and
Ill put some saleratus water on those
stings."
Poor Belle had been stung twice on her
lip. She was crying, and did not know
which way to turn, till Mr.. Brooks led her
into the house. / was trembling all over.
fha haas xva,a nt, avay.x- ciIa nf rna 0y-
ing toward Sarah, and there was already
quite large black bunch of them cling
ing to her sleeve, rs her arm rested on the
apple-bough.
"Tm sorry" she said, softly, "but You
had better not stir away yet, or II may dis
turd them, and you viii get stung. But
aslong rs you keep perfectly still they
won't harm you."
So stood, and thought OF Joan of Arc.
and Pocahontas, and all the hcroines /
eos.ld remember, to keepmyself from faint
ing on the spot. Mr.. Brooks, with his
hands in great buckskin glover, was wait
ing little way off with one of tho new
bee-hives all ready.
at is fortunate I have on this loose
sacque," said Sarah, "for can slip my
arm out of the sleeve so easily, when the
bees have done coming"
| looked mt her i'm admiration, rs she
stood there so motionlcss In her graceful
posture, resting on the bough, her eyes
bright with excitement, and her cheeks
the lovcliest pink, her lips just little
parted, and she without an atom of terror,
almost tcndcrly watching her pretty,
brown bees rs they crowded to her.
1t seemed an age that we waited there,
but ut last the swarm had all settled. and
Sarah confessed she was glad, for they
hung so heavily on her sleeve.
"I'll take care of them now," said Hugh
Brooks, and he looked ut Sarah anxiously;
"you must be all tired out, dear Sarah
but II you can manage to slip your arm
out of the sleeve rs hold It, / think you
can get away safely"
The words "dear Sarah" struck me. /
felt very much enlightened, and began to
move cautiously away, but could not
help hearing him say, rs he bent toward
her, releasing her arm from the sleeve,
something about her avoiding him for so
long, and he certainly asked her something
about love, and heard him say darling"
glanced back Mt her rs l reached the
house, and she looked radiantly happy. III
he was Corydon she was Phyllls-evidcnt-
ly no one else.
In the kitchen sat poor Belle, her lips
swollen, and her eyes red with tears OF
vexation. But Aunt EN- was bathing the
poor lips with her famous saleratus water,
and the pain was quite gone now, Belle
said. The swelling began to disappear,
too, so her spirits revived, and we sat to-
gether by the window watching Hugh
Brooks hive tho bees, with Sarah mt his
side.
1t seemed to take them long while, and
when all was done, instead of coming into
the house, they wandered slowly away
down the lane.
"Oh, wait for me-" called out Belle; 81
want to go to walk too."
"Hush, hushm l whispered, vehement
"; "you mustn't so. He has just proposed
to her, and she has accepted. Don't you
sce?" Belle stared mt me.
"What! Cousin Sarahp" she uttered, In
bewilderment; "Mr. Brooks and Sarah?"
l nodded, and there was silence for q
few moments.
"What little goose / have been" cx-
claimed Belle mt last, with a merry laugh.
Every well, Phene Bennett, just rs soon rs
ever get back to the city am going to
accept Archie Russell, and love him dear
ly" !
Which she did, and is happy. But of
all the engaged girls know, / ike best to
think about Sarah. She Is such real lit
tic honey-bcc, gathering sweetness out of
everything.