The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1889-05-08
DAVE TUCKER.

I don't ike bees; neither does
Beckey.
don't think I shall like honey in
the near future, and have already
banished pan cakes and honey from
the cuisine OF my table. I once liked
peach and honey, but long since quit
that when on one occasion after hav-
! ing partaken of a glass of it I went
to bed with my boots on and didn't
know how it came about. Beckey
says she knows very well, and the next
time it occurs I'll have to sleep in the
barn. I don't think I'll let it occur
again.
Bees are small insect with yaller
striped tail down their backs. They
are governed by monarchy, and
their king is queen. In disposition
they are very erratic, and generally
attend strictly to business, at least
their business end does, and in rather
painful way. Their chief business
seems to get mad and make honey
which they steal from flowers in other
peoples gardens. When one gets mad
he flies on you, does something, and
then you jump. holler, and run home.
They are said to be- very useful
domestic animal, but it will require
undoubted proof for me to believe
this. At this moment I am of the
opinion that bees are an unmitigated
| nuisance. I may, however, change
my opinion with the soothing inau-
ences of time, and as soon as my
swened head and shut-up eyes get
well. Beckey is better, and says she
hopes to survive. We have already
used up two bottles of magic balsam,
and by persevering in it we hope to
recover, but the memory of the occur
renee stiags US yet.
This is how it happened: This
spring I concluded to raise some bees,
and bought two swarms from old man
Floyd. He delivered them to me,
praised them up to the skies, and said
ssthat from them T could get two other
colonies, and in a year or two would
have as many as I could attend to- I
thought it fine thing to have them
about, as their industry would be an
example to be followed by my house
hold, and stir up things generally, and
they did stir up things so far as Beckey
and myself were concerned.
Matters seemed to have gone on
smoothly with the bees until last
week, when large swarm which ap-
pesred to be dissatisfied with their
house, came out from one of the
hives, and proceeded to emigrate. I
had been told that in order to prevent
their rowing disposition I must make
noise to cause them to settle on
some object. We got up a lot OF tin
pans and horns and if ever bedlam
was let loose we had it. They soon
settled under the caves of the COW
shed; and to get them in a new gum
I had ready, was the question. I
sent over for nabor Gardner, and be
told me it was easy enough: "Just
get up on the shed over them, and
give the shingles smart blow, and
they would all fall on the gum" q
had placed one on table right under
them.) 'That there was no harm in
bees if you are not afraid of them" I
was skeptical as to whether or not the
bees would know when the afraid
part would take place, for was dubi-
GUS all the time and would have sold
the whole lot at half price, and
thought had made good bargain.
However, I told Beckey to stand
near by to help, and I got on a step
ladder and got on the shed which was
pretty steep, in my stocking feet. I
moved very cautiously to the caves,
and when just over the swarm raised
the hatchet to give the blow which
would make me master of the situa-
ton, when something happened, and
like streak of creased lightning l
slid off the shed on the gum smashing
the table. In my rapid descent I had
grabbed the bunch ofbees and carried
them along too. I presume they must
have been in a mad state, for before
I could get ont of the tanglement I
was in they had stung me from Dan
to Beersheba and back again. They
popped Beckey good too before she
could holler, and soon they got all
mixed up in her long hair, and for an
hour afterwards every now and then
she would grasp her head in both
hands and cry, aMercy me!'' did I
ever!" For once I have enjoyed the
luxury of having short hair, close
cropped.
Therefore under the circumstances
I will now reiterste on behalf of my
self and Beckey that neither Of US are
passionately fond of bees, nor honey
likewise, and notice is hereby given
that there are two stray hives in our
back yard to be given away.
DAVE TUCKER.