The Arkansaw traveler., 1884-06-21
WHAT THE BEES DID.

Ahohose-3 S41AS@S&4b hAS sSH <A@S. %Ncy sir, no more idle bread in this house"
 "i must eat it outdoors then, must ?" asked the boy.
 "No, you sha'n't eat it on my farm. do believe that you've got less considera- ton than any boy I ever saw. You know as well as do that the corn is suffering for work, but as soon as my back is turned you drar your hoe and sit down in the shade. wish may never stir again fl ever saw the like in my life. am a great mind to drive you of. Go on back there and hoe that corn. Where're you goinT" The boy had started to enter the house.
 "Wanter get something to eat"
 "It hasn't been three hours since you ca, breakfast"
 "Yes, but I'm hungry now"
 The boy entered the kitchen where his mother. among bright pans was securing a brass kettle until it had begun to shine like mirror.
 Abe, why do you give your father so much trouble? Why don't you stick to your work. Pleg take the boy! Don't cut that bread"
 "Oh, can't work all the time," pro- ceeding to cut the bread. "I'm tired, an it's so hot out there"
 Abraham" called the father.
 "Yes, sir"
 Are you comin'?"
 In a minit," and cutting of a piece of butter with butcher knife, he proceeded to spread it on his bread.
 "Abe, do hurry up," said the mother. /" D ont you know that if we could afford it you would not have to worky
 The old man entered, holding with an angry grip, an apple tree sprout
 Pap, don't whip him." the mother pleaded. "l am sure that he will go on to his work and stick to it."
 :. am a great mind to GU, him in two, Ot all the boys ever saw, he is the most trifing. don't know what will become of him when we drap of. What will you do, hah?"
 Don't know, sir" munching his bread.
 "What will you do for living, hah ?"
 Eat, I reckon"
 "Oh, there's no doubt of that pro- vided you can get anything to eat, but if you don't make a great improvement in the way you stir your stumps, you'll starve to death. You don't want to work, you don't seem to care for play, but all you want is to nope around like you'd los, the last friend in the world. What do you mean by it9"
 "I am thinking"
 ThinkingT replied the old gentle man derisively. "A boy that's too lazy to play, ain't going to do much thinkin'."
 Perhaps he does think, pap," said the boys mother.
 That's all nonsense. What's he got to think about? He's too lazy to study up mischief. Go on now, and hoe that corn"
 Abe slowly dragged himseifaway. The old man turned to his work of greasing a set of harness. After awhile, looking up, he saw the boy poking around the yard.
 "What are you doing there?
 Forgot where left my hoe"
 do think in my soul, that you are the most worthless boy ever saw. What's that lyin' there by you, hah p
 "lt's the hoe," lazily taking up the im- plement.
 "Now do you think you can recollect where the corn is T'
 "Yes, sir, reckon"
 He moved slowly away and sought the place where the con-blades waved in lazy whisper. The "chatter Jack sat on the tall iron weed and sang his rip- saw notes; the "snake doctor flew around and @zipped" the top of an old stump; squirrel chattered in the neigh boring woods, and q toad, fat on a diet of bugs and drink of dew, lazily fell from a elod, showed his yellowish under-side and then slowly hoped away. Abe approached stump and struck it with his hoe. A low hum, loud buzz, and the air was full of humble bees. The boy threshed himself with his hat and took to his heels; slowly at first but when bee ahghted on the back of his neck and made known the enact locality of his whereabouts. the boy set up yell and ran toward the house at the top of his speed. The old man saw him coming. He vas surprised to sec his son travel so rapidly, and the old fellow. throwing down his harness, slapped him. self and roared with laughter. Abe bounded over the fence like deer. The