Orleans County monitor. [volume] (Barton, Vt.) 1872-1953, 1885-06-01
Mr.. ScrantOn'S Bees.

Directly aIter supper, 1Sraei OcIah-
ton settled himself with the local pa
per, the "Pequotuille Weathercane."
1t evidently was unusually interest
ing, Mr.. Scranton's eye frightened
and his lips moved rapidly, betoken-
ing the fire beneath like the boiling
of kettle. At length it bubbled
over in amazed EXPLANATIONS and
calls to his wife.
'sLois Lois Just come here !"
Mrs. Scanton entered from the
kitchen, signs of bread-mixing on
her hands.
sHere's a man down in Maine
cleared hundred dollars last sum-
mer on bees! What dyer think O.
that?''
cit isn't a likely story, Israel. 1t
amt no use to snap up everything we
read in the paper, Israel. Look at
the things we've tried just cause the
Weathervane' said somebody made
money on it," With sudden heat
she added, ssYou've been bit every
time, Israel. And it's pretty nigh
ate up pas farm too"
Evidently Mr.. Scranton could not
deny this, so he retired behind the
journal. The last allusion was a lit
tie ''ounce of prevention that Mrs.
Scranton gave Israel for his old COM
plaint,-a desire to try something
new. She was naturally thrifty and
practical, and it grieved her to see
slice after slice of the family loaf
wasted; loan after loan accumulat-
ing on the old place. She always
stood thus on the shore, arguing and
protesting, when Israel was bent on
launching their craft upon untried
waters. But sooner or later the COM
mon sense of the woman yielded to
the loving heart of the wife, and IS
rael came off victorious. Mrs. Scran-
ton threw aside her scruples and en-
tered his leaky craft.
The g WeatherUane" shook slightly
in Mr.. Scranton's grasp, but he was
silent. This monument of offended
majesty began to have its effect upon
the dame; for as she gazed, her keen
eyes grew wistful.
"Now, Israel, l hope you amt GO
ing into sech uncertain critters as
bees is ?"
There was no reply. She returned
to the kitchen and emptied what was
left of her wrath upon the editor of
the /" WeatherUane. What did he
want to put such pieces in the paper
for? They only made folks uneasy
and she declared with a warlike all
that she had just as lief tell him so
too.
Having blamed the editor well, she
began to wonder if that apiarist il
Maine really did make so much mon
ey. If it was so Israel couldn't bt
blamed for wanting to try bees. She
was now curious to hear the rest ot
the story; but although she seated
herself beside Israel soon after darn
ing his socks, and asked severa
questions that opened the door to the
subject, he would not talk. At length
he went out to lock the barn for the
night. His russet frock had scarce
ly passed the door before Mrs. Scran
ton was reading the article. Wher
he found her so occupied, he came
down from his dignity enough tC
ASK
"What do you think ont now?'
cit really does look reasonable
Israel.
, "Look The mans fggered it al
out - "Any lunkhead could go tt
work just from that and rake in hi
little pile in few years. Jest SCI
here" he took the paper and en-
larged on certain points, Lois sitting
very near and pleasing him by he
sympathetic attention. AS of old
the girl Lois shared his visions, 81
! now Lois, the wife, became enamor
ed of them. Woe to him now wht
: should allude reproachfully to ''pa'
farm" instead she suggested that i
was "made purpose for bees
Look at the posies we've. got
, She meant of course that her lort
: should use his minds eye, it beins
| dark and late; but Mr.. Scranton
cared not for other vision when rid
ing new hobby all the pathway o
the future was luminous. He pacet
, the floor, too excited to sit still
| "You don't hear much about this 'er
honey business he said with a saga
cious squint of an eye, that he assum
ed at such times. s'There's fey
|, bound to keep it all in their owl
( hands,-monopolize the trade yol
know, and get their forty cents
a pound every time. There's that oil
h German over the hill, the south sid
: o. his barn is chock full of bees
That's what he lives on and salt
\ down money right along" The,
e both regretted that they had not em
n braced this lucrative chance long be
fore, Israel fairly groaning as b
i said:
!, s'Only to think that Maine ma
$ made hundred dollars watching bee
last summer, hired hand hayin
> time, and you know it lays me up t
e do haying, Lois
= Mrs. Scranton wondered if th
n German wouldn't let them have fe'
Z hoeS tO start with which Mr. Scrar