The Iola register. [volume] (Iola, Allen County, Kansas) 1875-1902, 1880-06-18
Patty's Swarm.

One day Patty ran into the house
with her yellow hair a-tumble, and her
blue eyes sparkling with excitement.
"Mother, o motherr' she cried, her
little brown hands iuttering like the
wings of a bird. ''The bees are
swarming."
"Sure O. asked her mother, doubt
fully. For, you see, Patty was the least
bit in the world like the boy in the ia
BILE who cried, "Wolf wolf ~ when
there was no wolf. Not that she meant
to be, but so many bees would fly about,
making such buzzing in the warm
spring sunshine, that Patty was often
quite certain that they were swarming
whenthey hadn't any idea of it.
"And that is why Pattys mother
asked her, in that doubtful way, "SureT'
"Yes'm," said Patty. meehly.
Her mother stepped to the door.
True enough, there was roar like that
of very small waterfall in the air, and
out over the bee-hives foated little
black cloud.
81 do believe they are," she said.
"But they're not all out yet, guess,
and will not begin to light for some lit
tie time. Run down to Mr.. Jessop's,
Patty, and tell your father-nO, I'll go"
with smile-remembering that Pat
ty had gone for her father once before
when the bees were not swarming after
all.
.May I 60 out and watch 'em, moth
er?' asked Patty, dancing heel and toe
on the white kitchen floor.
eyes; put on Aunt Nabbys shaker
and don't 60 too near"
So Patty got into Aunt Nabby's big
shaker-bonnet, which was so much too
large that you could not see her little
round face, unless. feeling quite sure it
was there, you stopped and peeped in;
and the brown calico cape almost
reached the hem of her short skirts.
Then Patty went out into the garden
and sat down on box by the cucumber
bed.
She watched the dancing black
swarm until her eyes grew heavy: The
sun shone brightly, the west wind blew
about her warm and soft and fragrant.
The buzzing of many bees grew louder
and louder, until it seemed to swallow
up every other sound. Then the big
shaker began to drocp, and that wasall
Patty knew until
your lifer'
This was what called Patty out of
dreamland, her father voice, deep and
hoarse.
At first she wondered where she was.
There was a roar like distant thunder
in her ears.
ssDon't move, Patty dear. Don't
lift your headr' That was her mother.
The words sounded to Patty great
way off, and there was tremble in
them and a sob at the last. What could
it mean?
Patty was frightened, but she was q
brave little girl, and had always been
taught to obey. So she sat very still,
with scarcely the culver of an eyelid,
and presently she felt the big shaker
gently lifted from her head.
"All right!'' said her father.
And Patty looked up with a little cry
to see the shaker = Aunt Nabby's
shaker, truly, but bigger than ever with
that great cluster Of moving, buzzing
bees hanging to it-disappear within
an empty hive.
Then Patty laughed. "Did they
light on my head?" she cried, jumping
up. ssWhat funr'
But her mother took the little girl in
her arms and carried her into the
house, and cried over her. Mothers are
such queer people.
"That shall be Patty's hive" said
her father, coming in later; adding.
with twinkle in his eye, 1--we heard
of a bee in ones bonnet, but never
saw so many bees on bonnet before. :"
"Nor L. said Patty, laughing still.
"They shall make me some honey to
| pay for that" -Add Carleton, in