The Pickens sentinel. [volume] (Pickens, S.C.) 1871-1903, 1881-07-07
DUFF AND THE BEE.
sabbath TH1O OF Nature and
Knowledge
(From the San Francisco ohronicle.l

(From the San Francisco ohroniole.l
The Duff family, pater, mater and lit
tie ones, Picnicked ON tho beach beyond
Fort Point yesterday. ct do love ma
thure," remarked Patrick Duff, who is q
proud and frequent voter of the Seventh
ward, as he unhitched the dray-horse
from the family carryall, which bore
the family arms, "Duff's Xpress. "
"The cares av political loif and Rineral
expressing require that man shud relax
his moind midst the grand reposh ay
tlreless nathure's reshtful bosom, I'll
ring that sentiment into me next warrud
club spache, Mary Helen be me sowl,
L Will. Lave hould av that cowld boiled
the trackless tide"
The lunch basket was safely Deposited
in the shade of rock, the youthful
Dutfs disported bare-legged in the mild
surf, and Mr.. and Mrs. Duff wandered,
free from care, Ger the green hillside.
Presently Mrs. Duff discovered a bum
ble-bee in the deep recess of wild flower
she had plucked. Alas, she had never
seen a bumble-bee before "Luk here.
Patrick, she exclaimed, "Yez never saw
the loike av that in Kerry, Pat"
MIR. Duff was too much of politician
to commit himself as to his knowledge,
or lack of it, without first considering
the subject. Taking the flower from his
wife's hand, he eyed the bee critically
and then assented: 1T is purity bur
rid, Mary Helen" Then he carefully
picked the bee out Of the flower between
his thumb and forehnger and repeated
slowly:
Yes. it is q very purity burrid i
link it is o."
Before Mr.. Duff had explained what
he was pleased to think the bee was. he
had dashed the flower in his amazed
wife's face, jumped exoitedly in the air.
landed hatless and with hair erect. and
again repeated, still slowly, but With
popping, glaring eyes, and in q voice
husky with pnin and anger
"It is purity burrid, but, holy muir
ther, how hot it's little fut is IL
Patrick Duff, have you been hitting
that whisky-bottle in the lunch basket p"
exclaimed the indignant Mrs. Duff.
Patrick, in dumb bewilderment. eazed
on his swelling and inAamed thumb and
then at the wife Of his bosom before he
replied:
"Hod yez run yer needle through that
burrid, Mary Helen, befeor yez CAV it
! to me?"
Don't yez be too funny, Pat" said
Mrs. Duff, testify.
".Shure, I'm not funny at all, Mary
Helen, and yez needn't look that way at
me, nather, or I'll break yer vartebrse, -
said Mr. Duff, getting madden as his
thumb got bigger.
"Yez had better not be thrying your
thricks wild me, or I'll land ye wan side
av that ugly jaw of yours that 'ull tach
ye who is boss of the Duff family" Mr..
Duff's voice rose as he realized the full
extent of his hurt.
"Yez have been drinking yerseH into
transitory iim-jams, Pat, and yez had
better slape it off before lunch, >" replied
the lady in conciliatory tone, which
only served to aggravate the gentle
mans temper into exact sympathy with
his thumb, for with an irresistible i'm
pulse he made good his threat, and in O
moment the sweet solitude of the spot
and day was rudely broken by blows
which fell with unconjugal force and ra-
pidity on both the heads of the Duff
family, while the humble bee hunmed
drowsily off, moralizing over greatness
of evils when unknown.