Staunton vindicator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1860-1896, 1890-05-16

by Jovel' said Mr.. Mingden, starting to
his feet, 81 never thought of that I'll do it,!
/ wonder where the deuce they sell bees!
There isn't moment to be lost.n
81 think know of a place where I could
buy half dozen hives" said Harry.
"The gentleman wants to buy some bees"
said Fleda. "Dear mamma, do sell yours;
we can easily get all the honey we WANT
''But I've kept bees all my life, said Mrs
Fenwick, piteously.
eyes, but they're such a care, mamma,
now that you are no longer young, and you
are hardly able to look after them in swarm
ing time, and"- (she dared not allude to the
trouble they were making in neighborly re-
lations, but glided swiftly on to the next
vantage point)-''it will be just exactly the
money want to finish the sum for my we'd
ding dress"
Mrs. Fenwick's face softened; she kissed
Fleda's carmine cheek, with deep sigh.
"For your sake, then, darling, nsaid she.
"But I wouldn't for the world have Mr..
Mingden think that I would concede single
inch to'-
II don't know that it is any of Mr.. Ming
den's business said Fleda, quietly.
The next day Mr.. Mingden trotted down
to look at his new possessions.
100 bad that Harry had to go back to
town before he had a chance to see how the
bee hives looked in their place." soliloquized
he. "a capital idea, that of his. 'Similia
similibus curantur, ha, ha ha! Well, guess
it'll be pretty much that! wonder what
the old lady will say when she sees the oppo-
sition apiary! Won't she be furious! Ha.
ha, hap
He adjusted his spectacles as he fastened
down towards the sunny south walk which
had heretofore been the battle ground There
was the row of square, white hives on his
side Of the fence-but 10! and behold! the
bench that had extended on the other side
was vacant and deserted!
'sWhy!'' he exclaimed, coming to an abrupt
standstill. ''What has she done with her
bees?'
gardener. sAnd fine lot they be! And not
an unreasonable price neither. Mr.. Harry
looked arter that hisself."
81 hope you'll be very kind to them, sir! p
uttered soft, pleading little voice, and Elfe-
da Fenwicks golden head appeared just above
the pickets of the fence. "And I never knew
until just now that it was you who bought
them"
"But, hope, after this, y kindly added File
da, that we shall never have any more trou-
ble-as neighbors, I mean. It has made me
very unhappy, andH-
The blue eyes, the faltering voice, melted
the old gentleman at last.
''Then don't let it make you unhappy any
longer, my DEAR said he, reaching over the
pickets to shake hands with the pretty special
pleader ''Hang the bees After ALL what
difference does it make which side of the
fence they're on? So you're the little school
teacher, are yous I'm blessed if I don't wish
I was young enough to go to school to you
myself"
Fleda ran back to the house in secret glee.
II do believe,' she thought, ''the Montague
and Capulet feud is healed at last And do
believe Emitting her blonde brows that Jack
told young Mingden all about the bees and
that that is the solution of this mystery"
But that evening there came a present of
white grapes from the Mingden greenhouses
to Mrs. Fenwick, with the old gentleman's
card.
'He must have been very much pleased to
get the BEES" thought the old lady. eff
had only known he liked bees, should have
thought very differently Of him. All this
shows how slow we should be to believe serv-
ants gossip and neighborhood tattle! If
had known he was the purchaser I should
have declined to negotiate; but perhaps every
thing has happened for the bestl"
Jack Trevelyn thought SO when he stood up
in the village church a fortnight from that
time, beside a fair vision in glittering white
silk and veil that was like crystallized frost
work. And the strangest part of all was
that old Mr.. Mingden was there to give the
bride awayl
81 take all the credit to myself" mischiev-
ously whispered Harry Mingden, the "best
man." ''But I'm afraid it is easier to set ma
chinery in motion than to stop it afterwards
And it's just possible that I may have an
aunt-in-law yet"
stranger things have happened" said the
bridegroom.-Am Randolph in New York
Ledger.