Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1890-01-17

f1table Investment" / observed, for L /
had heard before now that people had |
added largely to their incomes by keeping ]
bees.
You would be surprised how much | /
make by my hives" she returned.
have only limited interest in the poul- |
try-yard, aud have to find chickens and
eggs for the household, but the bee-h1ves
a re nv own | succeeded SO well with
them last year. and / believe l shall DO
Just as well this autumn. am very proud
of my bees"
at would not be a bad plan" began,
and then | stopped, for / had spoken hast
fly, and how could | know If my words
would be well received
"WeIl," she said with pretty air of
Impotence, why do you stop' You
have got something dreadfully sensible
in your head, and ! should like to hear 1t.
II am rather too quick with my words"
l answered. somewhat hesitating. Il
was only thinking OF what you said last
night You were cOndemning yourself
very needlessly, as / think, aud compar-
ing your means of usefulness with Mrs.
Morton's"
with ViOlet's many-sided duties. Well,
do not retract my words. said | was
always amusing myself; so / am; my bees
are my playthings."
"You could make them work for You il
you chose" ! returned, quickly; IF one OF
these hives, for example, were devoted TO
some good purpose, if the money you got
for the honey were given to one of those
institutions in which your sister takes
such interest"
"Oh, what nice idear' she exclaimed,
with bright look. 81 wonder what put
that into your head? l was rather I'M
comfortable having all that money to
spend on myself; I thought of giving
some to Adelaide for Rolf, OILY | cannot
get up an interest in that boy. | have
more than / want, for one does not need
so many dresses in the country, and moth
ing will induce me to go through Lon
don season again. | tried it once" with
a merry laugh, Just to please Violet, but
It nearly killed me, so | wrote TO father
to take me away. | should have liked the
balls very well, only got so dreadfully
sleepy before they were over, and the rides
IN the Row were nice, if only they would
have let me gallop, but | was nearly
taken up for furious riding once when
could not get Bonnie to stop, and after
that AlicF lectured me, and got sick OF
it."
you would not like your sisters life,
them"
Gay shrugged her shoulders with ges-
ture of disgust.
at is not life at all: it is a daily round
OF harassing duties. Look what it has
done for Volet-robbed her of spirits and
bloom; she will be an old woman before
her time. The fun is very well, but there
is too much of it. | pinned for fresh air,
for the garden, and the bees, and my 9TH
or pets. am afraid my partners LnOught
me dreadfully rustic; seemed to amuse
them. ] do not care for the young men in
bathrooms, they are so vapid, and, for all
their polteness, they seemed to be laugh
ing at one"
| could not help smiling at this. 1t was
very odd she should be SO frank with me.
She must have forgotten that / had no
experience of bathrooms, and had never
danced except at school-parties. when
the girls were allowed TO bring their
brotker7
"You are looking satiriCal Miss Fenton.
Oh, of course, | see what you mean. but
never mind, there are better things than
balls in this life. For NY part, prefer a
solitary gallop on Bonnie to Strauss best
waltz, though do love dancing, too; but.
you see, neither Violet nor | have been
trained tc a fashionable life. We have
lived in the country, have risen early, and
been in the open air from morning till
night, and now poor Violet never goes
to bed in time to get beauty sleep, and
she drives instead of taking good walk,
so no wonder her cheeks get pale and
thin"
1T is grievous pity" began but Gay
interrupted me.
ooh, it is no use talking about Violet,
have given her up long ago; Alick has
robbed me of her entirely. Now about
your benevolent project; mean to carry
1t out. DO You know the Chiidren's In
durable Hospital Mazda Vale' Violet Is
always working for that. There is to be
Muriel Cot in memory of the dear lit
tie baby she lost. Now why should | not
have n 'Children's Hive aud make those
special bees gather honey for those little
inCurabe children call that II lovely
idea. Look. that end hive under the APP
ple-tree shall be the one. Miss FentOn,
you have emancipated me; l feel a philan-
thropist already; the world will be the bet
ter for me and my workers."
looked at her admiringly; such love
ly color had come to her face, and her
eyes looked so bright and happy. | felt |
understood Gay Cheriton from that mo-
ment She was one of those guileless, in
noCeut natures that are long in throwing
Off childhood. She was full of generous
impulses, frank and outSpOken to u fault;
the yoke of life pressed lightly on her; she
was like an unbrjdled colt; that had never
felt the curb or the spur; gentle guidance,
a word from those she loved, was sufficient
TO restrain her.
l knew now why Joyce had called her
the little auntie; there was an air of ex-
treme youth about her. she was so very
lovable that dimnutiveuess suited her,
and thought her fathers pet name of
hummiug-bird suited her exactly: she was
so quick and bright and restless. her vi
tally and energy demanded constant
movement
How am chattcringi' she said Mt last
And | have all the vases to MI before
luncheon, but. rs told you last night,
am fond of talking if can get anyone to
listen to me. Adelaide never will listen
to me patiently; she says | am such a
chatter-boN. Goodbye for the present,
Miss Feuton"
And she trlpped away, singing I'm sucn a
fresh young voice as she went down the
orchard that did not wonder when a lit
tie brown linnet perched on a rose-bush
answered her. l think the birds must
have loved TO hear her.
| sat for some time contemplating the
low white gatn and the row OF bee hives
| was rather pleased with the idea | had
started; word in season sometimes
brings a rich harvest. | thought some
time OF the tiny workers in their brown
livery bringing in their rich stores for the.
afflicted children; and it seemed to me
that the Offering would be a sweet SAVIOR
TO the Master who loved children.
fell into a rsverie over it: | Thought
how much might be done for others with
little cost if people would only think: it
is want or thought that clogs usefulness.
Great sacrifices are SO seldom demanded
from us; we are not now called upon TO
torsake all that we hold dear and follow
the Christ-little daily duties, small
hourly renunciations, pleasures given up
for some cheerful loving service: these
are the free-win offerings that all may
yield; only the people must give willing
ly."
The morning passed pleasantly in the
sunny orchard, when the children tired
OF their play we went back To the house,
that they might have their MONDAY sleep
was sitting aloue in the nursery, mend.
ing Reggie's pinafore, when l heard the
clatteT of noisy footsteps in the corridor.
aud a moment after the nursery latch was