The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1881-11-05
THAT BIG HORNETS, NEST.

1t was III little, WeatheTed SchOOlhOuSe, iaT
up on PenObscot river. A very primitive struc-
ture it was, with four diminutive "six-squared"
windows set in tight, and a rock chimney big
enough to have swallowed up number Of its
modern brethren.
BuncheS of fresh, odorous cedar-boughS stood
upon the broad hearth and big shovel and long
legged tOngs stood guard in opposite corners. The
small cleat door shut with wooden latch and
leathern string Two rows of clumsy benches ran
across the room, and huge, high desk occupied
one corner.
Upon one of the front benches sat Origen bod
son. in disgrace. He had not only broken the
special rules of the school, but, as Jud Spears
averred. Several of the commandments all to
smash" And now he was suffering the penalty
of his rashness-of the former offense at least
by being obliged to remain in the schoOl-hOuse
while the rest of the scholars were out enjoying
their hour of Incoming and learn the puzzling rule
for Satisfaction"
What was still worse, he had been forbidden to
eat his lunch till after that terrible rule was COM
mitted, and it was a most delicious, generous
lunch too, as Origen knew, for he had seen kind
Aunt Betsey put it up-white bread, well gar
nished with honey, an apple turnover, and two
big doughnuts (twisters) fresh from the frying
pan.
1t seemed to the hungry lad that the fragrant
about his nostrils and sent such keen pangs of
hunger to his empty stomach as only healthy
boy can feel.
An angry resentment and an inordinate desire
for revenge surged through his wicked little heart
as he sat sullenly repeating over and over the
lines which he could not fix in his memory for
the overpowering thoughts of his untasted din
ner. Nor did he accomplish his task till the
school was called to order.
All the long afternoon he nursed his wrath, and
when he was let out at night his plan of VEN
geance was well matured.
Origen, or Odge as he was termed by his play
mates, was eleven years of age. His parents were
dead and he had been shifted about from one I'M
willing relative to another till at last the poor
house had picked him up.
There he had stayed till he was ten, when kind
hearted Betsey Damon had taken him. out of pity
What wonder that the boy-heart was hardened,
reared as the lad had been in an atmosphere of
selfish grasping, finding out-through ill-usage
and harsh, cold words-that his very presence was
an annoyance, and that there seemed to be no
place in the wide world for him?
All the generous kindly sentiments Of boy
nature had dried up under the burning drought
of his loveleSs life.
1t was long time ere his obdurate little heart
would respond to Miss Betsey's gentle manners
toward him-for, said he to himself:
"She's only a-batin' of the game. All, my old
daisy, you're hoax, like all the rest of em-a
pretty lean one, thought"
But her continued kind treatment had changed
the Lad wonderfully, and now only occasional
'spells" of mutiny told of the turbulent spirit
that was being subdued.
Something had stirred up his evil genius this
bright day in August. Whether it was one of
The periodical buildings over of his vicious dis
position, or the dog days" weather, we are not
prepared to say.
But here he was, stamping along toward Miss
Betsey's his brow lowered and full of moody
wrinkles, and wicked leer in his blue-gray eyes
which was sad to see. His old felt hat was pulled
far over his face, now red with heat and passion
and he muttered seditious things.
Miss Betsey was away to new family in the
neighborhood, but she had set out Origen's sup
per on the long pantry shelf
He swallowed the savOry meal hastily after
which he welded in the garden, drove home the
COW and MIXED her, and then, as Miss Betsey did
not make her appearance, he started off toward
swampy tract, where there a great many
choke-cherry trees, full of ripening fruit.
Here was his place of favorite resort and few
days previous he had discovered black hornets
nest-a prOdigious thing, nearly as large as
WATERFALL.
As he came in sight of the venom-filled nest
CLEAN Of malicious mischief shone in his eyes
Il reckon that'll bout square counts with her!"
muttered the lad, as he approached the tree
wherein hung the great gray tent. II s'pose I'll
hev to wait for 'em to go to roost," he added
The hornets were not yet all in. Some were
crawling on the nest and others hummng about
the tree.
Origen sat down quietly on a stone, picking
little pieces from his ragged felt hat and rolling
them into wad, to wait for the hornets to "go
TO rOost," which they shortly did.
He then went cautiously up to the tree and
deity inserted the wad into the aperture at the
bottom of the nest.
"Ah, buzz away, my black dabsters!" shouted
Odge as the hornets set up great commotion
inside. aye can't get Out!n
Origen then cut the limb from the tree and