The Pascagoula democrat-star. (Pascagoula, Miss.) 1878-1920, 1889-05-17

head and tied it tight around his
neck. Then he put on his long
linen coat and buttoned every one
of the big bright buttons, from The
collar TO The tail He then stuffed
his breeches legs in his socks and
tied them tight around the ankles.
He couldn't find any gloves that
were small enough, and so he drew
on pair of wooden socks, and
made me tie the legs up around his
wrists.
When he put on his big broad
brimmed hat he looked like the
devil or Robinson Crusoe. could
Mt decide which, and Ponchartrain
growled and tucked his tail be-
tween his legs as the old man came
tanning out.
"NOw, we must saw The limb off
and lei the bees down right easy.
and they'll go into the gum just 50
nice. I'll saw the limb most off,
aud then you can finish it while |
ease 'em down."
| couldn't reach the llmb, so L
took a forked stick and steadied it
while grandpa sawed. When ne
got it about half in two lie came
and reached up and took hold oflt,
and turning his back to the bee
end Of it, proceeded to direct me.
"Saw easy, now, my son, and let
it come down gently"
AS he blinked at me through the
peep-holeS in that sack, snickered
in spite Of myself at the sight of
that big red nose that looked like
a pumpkin yam potato that the
w0od-lice had been afoul Of.
easy, now, lis almost through" "
Ny arm was so tired, for had
to sit aslraddle OF the limb with
my back against he tree, and reach
out and saw up and down.
STEADY, lad, We'll soon haye
EN-"
The nose grew redder every sec
ond, and damp splotches began 10
appear on the sack hat covered his
face. Ponchartrain sat unGer the
edge of the piazza and looked on
inquiringly.
Suddenly the old saw hung and
| fetched a surge and snap went the
limb.
The old man had miscalculated
the weight OF the bees, and as the
limb parted so Unexpectedly, the
butt end flew up and that whole
doggoned half bushel OF bees
oyerba!anced and struck him in
the back cur-rash !
Great balls Of fire !
The air was full of the maddest
bees that ever attacked a bald
headed man in summer time.
They saw the red nose and they
went for it.
Zip! zip! zip!
Right aud left fore and ait, and
a sidewIpe every second lhrowed
in.
| climbed a few notches higher
up among the sycamore limbs, and
watched the fray.
These hands with The socks on,
went round and round like the pad
dies of siCe-wheeler. Every lick
they killed dozen bees, but the
swarm didn't miss them.
They got inside that linen coat,
they forced their way into his
breeches legs and attacked flank
and rear.
At last he made a break and trip
ped over the table and down he
went among the tea weeds. Pom
chartrain thought now was the
time to charge, and he sailed in,
and every time a bee would pop
him he'd take fresh mouthiul of
the fallen monster.
After awhile grandpa regained
his feet and gave Poncharlrain a
kick that would have paralyzed a
mule, and tearing off his superflu-
Gus armor he made a dash Tor the
branch.
| staid up there till the bees col
lected and went zoOming away to
ward the piney woods and then |
came down.
Just then grandpa came in sight,
but he didn't near like used TO.
lie and Ponchartran had made
up, and both of them had the big
gest heads | ever saw.
And grandpa's ose--phe-e-w
He tried to talk to me, and got as
mad as wet hen because | could
MT understand him.
But about a week afterward,
when / saw the bee martin catch
ing bees, | ran into the house and
cried:
"Grandpal grandpa! Get your
gun, that old martins thest catch
in our bees"
let 'em alone, sonny. Let EN-
catch 'em. Slch bees as them don't
deserve no protection from me.
Let 'em help himself 10 the bees,
so lar as I'm concerned
II is a curious fact that while the
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