Barbour County index. [volume] (Medicine Lodge, Kan.) 1880-current, 1883-11-02
ANDY AND THE HORNETS.

one would hardly believe that the little,
cross-looking chap with the deep scowl
over his eyes could be he.
When mamma went off tothe sea-shore
for few weeks of change and Quiet
rest, her only trouble had been about
Andy, Susie and the baby, nurse could
take care of, she knew. but Andy, since
he had grown up to the dignity of
school-boy, was not as tractable in the
nursery as he once was, and nurse had
more patience with babies and little
girls than she had for noisy, restless
school-boy of eleven. However, the
doctor said mamma must go, and leave
them all at home. So papa had carried
her off, almost against her will.
Andy made so many promises to be
good and mind nurse that she was per-
suaded that he meant to keep his word.
And so he did. But nurse was unreal
sonable, and no boy likes to be called
off from making kite to run errands.
Such "confounded'' long ones, too (the
adjective is Andy's own should have
said Gerry long). Then, upon his re-
turn, when he was only making paste
for the beloved kite, to have it snatched
away from him!
True, he was mixing it in a cut-gldSs
goblet; but what matter? One glass was
as good as another; indeed, if it had
been handy, he would have preferred
tin cup.
Altogether he was much-abused
boy! If it were not for mamma he
would have serious thoughts of running
away. What lark it would be to have
old nursey flying around. with her cap
strings floating in the air, drumming
up neighbors to hunt for Master Andy!
81 wish was not boy. Boys have
the hardest time of anything in crea-
ton! / don't want to be nimiry, pim-
Try, fol-de-rol of girl either! wish
were a bird; they don't have to mind.
Yes, I'd even like to be hornet! Look
at that chap, hunting flies over there.
He has no nurse, and I'll bet does just
as he has mind to-"
These words, uttered aloud, were
scarcely out of the little boys mouth,
when, wonderful to relate. the very hor-
net he had been envying flew up to him
and said:
Would you really like to be one of
us? Remember hornets life is not
one of idleness. He must work hard
for his living. like all the rest of the
Masters creatures. Think before you
decide
"Do you have nurses?"
mo"
Then I'll be hornet!'
How strange! At once he felt himself
growing smaller and smaller. Now
yes. he could fly. 1t was delightful
sensation to feel himself floating through
the air.
Buzz! buzz!" went the other hornet
So it would have sounded the day be-
fore. Now Andy knew he said: Come
with me, and III introduce you to the
other hornets
So, off they went, further down
toward the peach orchard. There the
family had built themselves very GU
rious house. 1t served as a temporary
clearinghouse for themselves, and was
the place where eggs were deposited,
whence the hornets of the future sprang
into life.
Andy remembered looking ut this
house, from distance, only day or
two before. Now, to fly right into it
was very funny! All the hornets came
to look at him. All buzzed and talked
so fast that he could scarcely under
stand word they said.
He was offered a blue-bottle fly for
refreshment, and as he shrank from the
proffered dainty, they all buzzed louder
than ever.
Later his friend took HIM to peach
tree, and they RECALLED themselves on a
ripe peach, which was much more to
Andy's taste.
That y,;crbt bo sIa-4 -, =, l,~~l~ IL
same tree-it seemed so stuffy in the
hornet house.
The next day all assembled in their
house, and each received orders from
the head of the colony. Each had to
kill so many flies and bring them home.
to be stored up for the next generation
of hornets. Some remained at home,
to put the finishing layer to their house.
Andy was put among the latter, TO
learn their trade. Hard work, too, it
was. Beginning at early dawn to chew
up paper, moisten it with glue, and
smooth it on the outside of the hornet
house, was no joke. All day long he
worked. No rest, except two or three
short visits 20 the peach-tree, to refresh
himself.
Then to see all the other hornets come
home, each laden with a fly, sometimes
only half dead. still struggling in the
grasp of its captor, was to Andy disgust
ing in the extreme.
Three or four days dragged YEARLY
on, and he was beginning to wish that
he could be a boy again, and run err
rands, when one morning Andy was sent
out with the others, to catch flies
He flew with his old friend little way,
and then they separated. Andy saw a
large fly on a window, and made after it.
The fly took refuge in the house, and he
few in also.
How familiar that room looked! 1t
was the nursery-yes, to-be-sure it was!
There was the baby in the crib. just
then Susie said:
"Oh, nurse! horrid hornetr'
Nurse was after him. Oh. dearl he
should be killed right in his own homel
"Buzz! Buzz!" Would they never
understand?
"Get out of this. you rascalr' cried
nurse.
"rll catch him, nurse, in my apron,
and then kill him."
"He'll sting you, Susier'
BUZZ! Buzz!' No, he wouldn't
He'd rather die than sting his own sis
ter.
Just then, nurse made dab with her
apron.
He screamed:
"Don't you know mea'' and awoke
to find nurse really standing over him,
under the peach tree.
..why, Master.Andy, did you ever 90
to sleep on the grass? I'm afraid you've
caught your death of cold Come with
me, and let me give you something
hot"
"why. nurse" Andy tries to explain.
"rve been hornet. I've been down