Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1873-12-18
THE BEES NEST.
BY F. HAMILTON.


behind the distant hills, and the long
shadows creep, purple and brown, from
the valley below.
Il know the incest place, Bess ~ and
Mays eyes sparkled as she threw her
arm around her little friend. "And nv
mother let's me go there jes' as often as
please. Wen get our dolls and take 'em,
too. It's regular little playhouse, and
it's up in the woods behind the barn"
ooh! that's splendidr" said city Bess
Lets hurry and go. l do so love the
woods. Don't youg'
eyes, when the bugs amt there But l
guess they'll be calling to-day, it's so
pleasant, you know; and there amt no
snakes there at all ~
AS they tramped through the short
| crisp stubble toward the woods, each
with her precious sawdust baby in her
arms, their little tongues were in continual
motion and the sharp eyes saw everything
that made Nature and the country scene
beautiful. The shade of the tall trees was
very acceptable, and as they climbed the
rail fence and sprang down on the other
| side to ramble through the aisles OF
the fragrant woods their pleasure seemed
complete.
Here's the place, Bessi" and, rynning
quickly forward, May cast herself at the
foot OF mighty pine tree, whose gnarled
and twisted roots formed coy seat for
the little ones. "Come, they's room for
two"
The boys were away from home, and
nothing troubled the children in their
chosen retreat. They played "heuse,"
and making calls" and going on a
Journey; and the bushy-tailed squirrel,
| yUb N in ho Oh
tered with glee in answer to their merry
shouts and frisked about as wildly as
| they. The afternoon was a perfect one,
warm and bright as September ever gives
and the girls enjoyed it with all that keen
appreciation that childhood ever has OF
the good and beautiful.
The hours fled by, and the long lances
OF the western sun began to pierce the
thickets all around, when May suddenly
exclaimed:
ooh! Bess. know where they's wild
honey-bees' nest, and it's in the ground
too. Well be jes' in time to see ZEN
come home now, if we hurry. Come on
its lots O. fun"
Now "honey-bees," as the little CIR
called them, had always been objects O
terror to Bess, whose city life had nevel
given her the chance to make a close &C
quaintance with the little things, and she
hesitated, with the question:
''Won't they sting?"
ooh! no. We don't go near enough
Sides, they can't never sting, if they want
to, / guess" And so out of the woods and
cross the pasture-lot, to distant corner
of the stubble-feld, the little feet ran, their
owners all the time chattering of the won.
derful honey bees that lived in the ground
Here we are. Let's sit down. That's
where they is, right down there where it
looks kinder burnt. They'll be some
along in "a oh! there's one" And with
admiring eyes they watched the little
! golden-winged insect that came slowly
humming along and dove into the BURNT
place on the hillside below. For the
| ground was quite steep where the nest
was, and the girls could see all around it.
| "How quick they arep' said Bess.
"Ain't it funny! Oh! see, see! There's
! one different from all the rest, and they
follow it! What makes 'em?" And she
| pointed to quite a swarm that seemed to
move slowly round and round one especial
| bee, who sailed gently through the even
ing air.
"That's the queen bee, think" an
swered May. "You know all bees in
hives have queen; and it's jes' the same
with wild bees too, 1 guess. She don't
work, but lays eggs; and all the rest make
| honey for her to eat and take care of her
| Amt it nice as can be?''
eyes ma'amr" said Bess, decidedly, as
she rose to her feet, and drew little
nearer the edge of the hill, to watch the
| beautiful queen. A little nearer, when
suddenly her foot slipped, and she fell,
rolling over and over across the nest, and
directly through the buzzing swarm Of
bees, which broke upon the instant, the
angry insects following and clinging to
her in numbers, singing hands and face to
most terrible pain.
May stood with open mouth and eyes,
hardly compromising what had taken
place. She uttered only one cry as Bess
fell; but, when her scream came ringing
up to her through the twilight from the
bottom of the hill, she waited no longer,
but rushed wildly downward, Drawing bees
and all to rescue her little friend.
Reaching her side, stung almost to cry
ing herself, May seized Bessie's hand,
pulled her from the ground, and with the
| words "Run! Run for the brook ~ they
started off across the field, towarCbthe little
stream which rippled quietly along at its
further edge The bees followed on; but
the little ones ran rapidly, and, reaching
the water, tumbled headlong in, ducking
face and hands again and again, until their
yengeful pursuers were driven away, and
they were safe at last. Then both began
to cry heartily as the pain grew more and
more severe.
And what looking girls they were!
| Poor Bess was stung in more than forty
places, and even May was but little better.
Wet, cold, and smarting, they dragged
themselves across the silent fields toward
home. Mother received them at the door,
and gazed with establishment and dismay
at the swollen, tear stained faces; but
quickly applied a soothing remedy, which
somewhat quoted the burn and allowed
the little girls to stifie their sobs and tell
their story.
"AnG, Mamma, Bess didn't mean to at
ALL Don't you think twas awful wicked
Of the bees to act so ?" asked May.
" Perhaps it was, my DEAR" answered
the gentle mother. "But one must be
very careful. You will in future, Bess, l
am sure''
"Yes'm,'' whispered the pulled up little
lips of Bess. Yes'm, always, If they's
singing bees"-N 7. Independent.
A Little Boys Letter to Santa Claus.