Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1881-06-16
A Bee story.

Il udu dD IIllpIONCu DhCh JdEus WNut
through a seed store and bought q sample
of everything that would grow in this cli-
mate. The result was perfect tangle of
flowers and things, from the overgrown sun
flower TO for-get-me-not. Mrs. Bricktop
is very proud of our garden, and while gush-
ing over it the other morning, a happy
thought worked its way under her back
hair: "What delightful thing il would
be to have a hive of bees, and raise our
own honey, as well as everything else |"
have thought that woman inspired ever
since she convinced me that l couldn't do
better than marry her This was an origi-
nal, bold idea; a happy thought. / prom
lsed her hive of bees, and went TO busi-
ness with lighter heart, and flrmer belief
In the genuineness of home comforts and
amusements.
bought hive of honey bees and brought
1t home with me that very night. 1t was
one of those patent hydrostatic, back-action
hives, IN which the bees have peculiar ac-
commodatlons and all the modern improve
ments. 1t was a nice little hive, none of
your old-fashioned barn-siZed affairs. IL
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 windows 30
that the bees could take an early start and
get to business by sunrise 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 morn
ing TO see hew our little birds took to our
flowers; but good half hour before we
probably should have done so we were
awakened by the unearthly yells OF cat.
Mrs. b. leaped from her downy couch, eX-
claiming, ''what can be the matter with
our yellow Billy2" The yells of anguish
convinced us that something more than ordi-
nary was the the matter with him, and so we
hurried into our toilets We rushed into
our backyard, and oh, what a sight met
our astonished gaze The sight consisted
of a yellow cat that appeared to be doing
its best to make pin-wheel of itself He
was rolling over and over in the grass, anon
dartIng through the bushes and foliage,
standing OIL his head, and then trying to drive
his tail into the ground, and all the while
keeping I'D the most confounded bowling
that was ever heard
"That cat is mad" said Mrs. B. af-
frighted.
"Why shouldn't he bel the bees are
singing him." said /, 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,
VII tn loxy
near her eye. Then she howled, and be-
gan to act almost as bad the cat. 1t was
quite an animated scene. She cried muir
der, and the neighbors looked out from
their back windows and cried out for the
police, and asked where the fire was. This
being a trife too much. l threw a towel
over my heaFaDd rushed to her rescue. In
doing so, l 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 uh der her, and was ten
ierly 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 meantime the neighbors were
shouting, and getting awfully excited over
the show while our servant, supposing US
fighting, opened the basement door aud
admitted a policeman, who at once pro-
ceeded to go 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 here into the grave.
| tried to explain; but just then bee
stung the officer on the nose. and he under
stood it all in less than a minute. He got
mad and actually lost his temper. He
rubbed his nose and did some official Gus
sing. But as this didn't help matters any,
he drew his club and proceeded to demol-
ish that patent beehive. The bees failed
to recognize his badge of Office and Just
swarmed on him They stung wherever
he had no clothing, and in some places
where he did have 1t. Then he howled
and commenced acting after the manner of
the cat and its mistress. He rolled on the
ground for 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.
Then they had some fun. Windows went
down, and some of the neighbors acted as
though 90 inch shell was about 20 explode.
BY this time fire-engine arrived, and a
line of hose was taken thr 0ugh the house
into the back yard One of the hosemen
asked where the fire was but Just then
one of the bees bit 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 amongst
the things that were. A terrible crowd had
gathered in the mean time in front of the
house, but large portion of it followed the
| flying policeman, who wss rubbing his af-
fected parts, and making tracks for the
station house and a surgeon.
This little adventure somehow dampened
our enthusiasm regarding the delight of
making our own honey. During the next
week we wore milk and water poultlces
pretty ardently, but not word was said
about honey; and now Mrs. B. has gone to
stay a week with her mother, leaving me
and the convalescent cat and the tickled
neighbors to enjoy our own felicity.