Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1881-04-18

drostatic, back-action hives, in which
the bees have peculiar accommodations
and all the modern improvements. 1t
was nice little hive, none of your old
fashioned barn-sized affairs. 1t even
had windows in it, so that the bees
could look out and see what was going
on, and enjoy themselves. Both myself
and Mrs. B. were delighted; and before
dark arranged the stand for the hive
IN the garden, and opened the bay-win-
dows so that the bees could take an
early start and get to business by sun
rise next morning. Mrs B. called me
honey several times during the evening;
and such sweet dreams as We had
We intended to be up early next
morning to see how our little birds took
to our flowers; but good half-hour be-
fore we probably should have done so
we were awakened by the unearthly
yells of cat Mrs. B. leaped from her
downy couch. exclaiming, What can
be the matter with our yellow Billy 2"
The yells of anguish convinced US that
something more than ordinary was the
matter with him, and so we hurried into
our toilets. We rushed into our back
yard, and, oh, what sight met our as
tonished gaze The sight consisted of
yellow cat that appeared to be doing its
best to make bln-wheel of itself. He
was rolling over and over in the grass,
anon darting through the bushes and
foliage, standing on his head, and then
trying to drive his tail into the ground,
and all the while keeping up the most
confounded yowling that was ever heard.
'That cat is mad," said Mrs. B. af-
frighted.
"Why shouldn't he be? the bees are
stinging him." said l. comprehending
the trouble Mrs. B. flew to the rescue
of her cat, and the cat flew at her. So
did the bees. One of them drove his
drill into her nose, another vaccinated
her on the chin, while another began to
lay out his work near her eye. Then
she howled, and began to act almost as
bad as the cat 1t was quite an ami
mated scene. She cried murder, and
the neighbors looked out from their
back windows and cried out for the DO
lice, and asked where the fire was.
This being trife too much, threw a
towel over my head and rushed to her
rescue. In doing so, ran over and
knocked her down, trod upon the cat,
and made matters no better. Mrs. B.
is no child on wrestle, and she soon
had me under her, and was tenderly
stamping down the garden-walk with
my head, using my ears for handles.
Then yelled, and some of the bees
came to her assistance, and stung me
all over the face.
In the mean time the neghbors were
shouting, and getting awfully excited
over the show, while our servant, sup
posing US fighting, opened the basement
door and admitted policeman, who at
once proceeded to 60 between man and
wife. The bees hadn't got at Mrs. BIS
tongue yet. and she proceeded to show
the policeman that had abused her in
the most shameful manner. and that
had bought hive of bees on purpose to
torment her into the grave. tried to
explain /; but just then bee stung the
officer on the nose, and he understood it
in less than minute. He got mad
and actually lost his temper. He rub
bed his nose and did some official cuss-
ing. But as this didn't help matters
any, he drew his club and proceeded to
demolish that patent beehive. The
bees failed to recognize his badge of
Office, and just swarmed on him. They
stung him wherever he had no clothing
and in some places where he did have
it. Then he howled, and commenced
acting after the manner of the cat and
its mistress He rolled on the ground
for a moment and then got up and made
for the street, shouting fire" Then
the bees turned to the people who had
climbed upon the fence to see the fun.
Windows went down, and some of the
neighbors acted as though they thought
twenty-inch shell was about to explode.
By this time fre-engine had arriv-
ed, and a line of hose was taken through
the house into the back yard. One of
hosemen asked where the fire was but
lust then one of the bees hit him behind
the ear, and he knew. They turned
stream upon that half-wrecked beehive
and began to ''play away" with one
hand and fight bees with the other. But
the water had the desired effect, and
those bees were soon among the things
that were. A terrible crowd had gath
cred in the mean time in front of the
house, but large portion of it followed
the flying policeman, who was rubbing
his affected parts, and making tracks
for the house and a surgeon.
This little adventure somehow damp
ened our enthusiasm regarding the de-
light of making our own honey. Dur
| inn The nnxt week We wore milk-and-