Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1872-06-04

Once upon a time there lived in beautiful
valleya colony of bees, whose thrift and indus
try were famed through all the land to such
degree that they were thought to have inspired
the hymn, chow doth the little busy bee" etc.
However this may be, the fame of their prosper
Gus industry attracted to them many thrifty and
industrious bees from all the hives, far and near.
Now this WIS before the days of Cuver and
Huber, who invented the SANDER that the female
bee does all the work; at any rate, il there We're
any drones in the hives Of which our story tells
they were not found among the males.
In those days, instead of being governed by a
queen bee, who was also queen mother, this col
ony entrusted the direction of certain public af-
fairs to nine of their number, eight of whom
were called the elder, or alder-bees, while the
other, who was the smallest in size, was called
the major, or greater bee.
And it came TO pass that in the midst of their
prosperity they chose for major-bee one conspic-
uOus for the glttering beauty Of his wings and
for his sweet and charming hum. and, il being
needful that they should have great store of wax
wherewith to make vessels for their honey, and
to build conduits whereby they might carry off
the debris or refuse Of the hives, which
their neat and cleanly habits made necessary,
they were persuaded to borrow all the wax they
wanted from the neighborng colonies; and
when they found that this could be done by
means of the fascination there was in the gilt
terng wings, they were greatly rejoiced thereat,
and so they went Oh borrowing wax and laying
| up honey and building conduits, and "every-
thing was lovely" until it came to pass one day
that the bee of the beautiful bright wings was
suddenly called away, and was seen no more,
and his charming hum was forever silent.
Now while there was still a call for more YES
sells for the honey and more conduits to and
from the hives it was all at once found that there
was no more wax in the StOrehouse; and in the
meantime there had been chosen new elder-bees
and new maIor-bee, iwhO lacked the shining
wings and sweet, pursuasive hum of him who
was now silent; and so they were unwilling to
borrow more wax wherewith to build vessels
and eonduits; for they said Of surety there
cometh day of reckoning, and how shall we
repay that which has been borrowed? Let us
rather contrive some better method OF storing
the honey and, if it may be, avoid the need of
more conduitS, so that we may save the wax
and not borrow any more, and peradventure we
may begin to repay that which is borrowed;
and all the bees hummed their approval; and so
together; and they said let all the bees
bring into the storehouSe and give unto
the treasurer, a little of their honey and
of their wax; let him that hath much give of
his abundance, and him that hath little out of
his little store and il shall suffice: then we will
build cells each of SIX Sides and they shall be
fifty joined together each side TO the side of its
| neighbor; and we will begin to build from the
| top downward, for thus will each cell carry its
| own treasure OF honey and the one below shall
be joined TO the one above and there shall be
| no waste of space or OF the wax, and the cells
| shall hold much honey; and below shall be light
| and air, and no noXiOus insects con cause hurt
| full waste and there will be no need of any con-
| duits; and the major bee and the elder bees saw
| that their plan was just and good, and they had
| great delight therein.
But when it was made known to the multitude
| of bees that there was TO be no more borrowing
| of wax, but rather that they must provide il out
| Of their own store, then they waXed exceeding
wrOth with the elders, and they begun TO curse
| and to swear, and they even reviled the memory
of their late lavorite, the bee of the shining
wings, and they spake all manner of evil against
| him falsely.
And they fell upon the plan of the elder bees
| and they all condemned it, each in his own way |:
| some said it was absurd; some called it unjust
others said it was Illegal while other some called
| it impossible; for how, say they, can you build
| from the top downward, and how can You fit
| together the six sides? and they were exceeding
| wroth and they gathered themselves together
and took counsel one with another, and they
| chose of their number three dozen save one of
those most noted for gathering honey, or for
| their brilliant wings, or for their noisy
| huml and they said unto them, devise us now a
| plan that shall be wiser and better than the
plan of the elder-bees, for that is altogether un-
| seemly; give us plan that shall keep ceanly our
| hives, pay our debts and still bring us the wax
| from other hives, so that our stores shall be
| filled TO OVERLOOKING, and we shall suffer no lack
| And so the thirty and five came together, each
| bringing his own plan, and they said 20 to now,
let us give to the elder bees all these plans that
| they may not perish for lack of wisdom: and
there were thirty and five different plans each
was perfect in the eyes Of its author. Some were
| for building vessels for the honey of the old
| pattern, some for square vessels, some oblong,
| some round; others would put the honey in bas-
| kets, Others would put it in globes, and hang
| them up; others still would bring in the foods
| and wash out wax and honey and all for the
| sake of cleanliness; Others thought well of the
six-sided cells but they would build them up
| from solid foundation and not ioolishy sus-
| pend them in the air; some would suspend them
In the air, but thought siXsided cells would never
work, for they had never seen them in this wise,
and what they had never seen could never be
| done.
And so they fell TO dsputng among them
| selves, and great was their confusion; but they
all agreed that the plan Of the elders was worse
|
among themselves, we will none of that, what
ever betdes; and they of the noisy hum said
peradventure this plan Of the elders Is against
the law Of graytati0n, and If we can make ii
| appear SO the elders will be covered with con-
fusion, and they will 20 away and hide them
selves, and we can reign in their stead.
Now there dwelt in colony in the east near
to the sea, certain bees of such a wonderful
wisdom that no books could contain the half of
what they knew, and it was said by many that
when they should die wisdom would die with
lnemj and so the thirty aud five sent some of
Ihe aDlest Of their number 10 take counsel with
,lese :, wise men; and the wise men said, doubt.
lsss inns major bee and his foolish elders have
u .a. slliy and unlawful thing, for how could
lney 90 Otherwise, seeing they took not counsel
so then the thirty and Ave came up to the
council chamber Of the major lee and
elder-bees, and they said, 10 he evil
you have done In devising this MAN
for the saving of our honey without drst
consultingI us for is not all wisdom with ils.
! and Is not your wisdom folly2 D9 you not sec