The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1874-07-23
THE WONDERFUL BEES.
BY AMANDA NJ. DOUGLAS.

declared Horace; you have buzzed and
fretted and stewed until l am tired to
death. | wish"
But Horace did not finish his sentence,
for he saw grandpa coming quietly
through the open door. Lucy did not,
however, for her back was turned.
well, you're like a great hornet,
then"
"Does he swoop down and carry off a
fly, or sting?" asked grandpa, good-na-
turedly.
"He carried off my pencil, and he
took my rubber to school yesterday and
left it or lost it, wish | could keepmy
things, and not have them scattered all
over the world. And three of my draw
ing copies are gone"
II didn't touch them. You blame
everything to me-" and Horace colored
with veXation.
"I have them" said Sue. II wanted
some flowers for cluster, and you were
not here to ask"
"There, noww exclaimed Horace, tri-
umphantly. "But you wouldn't believe
me-"
Lucy looked little crestfallen. She
did not dare to scold Sue, who was near
ly five years older than herself.
"All you want to complete the group
is few bees" said grandpa
"You think they need some honey"
and Sue smiled.
"There, the wasp has gone out at last.
The window was down from the top all
the time, but he would not see it, and
has buzzed and fluttered and made him
self furiously angry when all the while
there was an easy way out"
"Quite philosophical, Master Horace.
What if you were to apply the wisdom to
real life?"
IL suppose we ought to be more like
bees They do some good. But wasps
and hornets" And Horace paused
"Have their uses to point moral"
said Sue, with droll light in her eyes.
II once knew a boy who kept some
wonderful bees" said grandpa, slowly
He had kept them in the house"
What-bees? asked Lucy. "Oh, it
is story" and bringing an ottoman she
sat down at grandpas knee. "Didn't
they ever sting, and where did they find
flowers to make honey with"
"In the house, too"
"Oh, you mean greenhouse"
"No. He was poor boy. He lived
with his mother and sick father and
three troublesome little children. 1t was
very hard for him at first. When he was
out of the house doing odd jobs to earn
little money the children used to get his
books and his tools, and sometimes his
clothes would not be mended because
his mother was so busy. Then his father
was irritable, and thought he might put
in neighbor's coal or carry parcels and
papers great deal quicker than he did
The boy-well, we will call him James
used to read to his father in his leisure
moments, for his mother had to sew to
help get something to eat. So poor
James had hard time of it."
"And suppose he was cross occasion
ally" commented Horace.
"Yes. You see his patience was Sc
verely taxed. He really did not know
what to do. Sometimes he thought he
would go off and drown himself, but the
water was cold, and he couldn't swim in
case he should change his mind; and
then, too, it was pleasant to be alive and
WELL"
"But what made him think of getting
bees" asked Lucy. II would rather have
had bright, cunning canary bird to sing
and be merry"
"I'll tell you how it was. One Sunday
morning the children had been very bad,
and his father nervous and trying, until
it seemed as if he could not stand it a
moment longer. His mother saw it all
in his face; SO after dinner she said:
James, your shirt is ironed up nice, and
I have mended your trousers SO that they
look almost like new. I'd put on my
best clothes and 60 down to Give-away
Hall. Maybe you will find something
there to suit you
Ibid they really give things away
and on Sunday, too:" asked Lucy.
"Yes. As general thing ! do not ap-
prove of children rambling around on
Sundays, but Give-away Hall was q very
nice place, and many people went to it.
There was quite number when Jamie
reached il. There was singing and
speaking, and then q man began to emu
merate the gifts. Some were quite be-
yond poor boys comprehension. There