The Iowa plain dealer. [volume] (New Oregon, Howard County, Iowa) 1867-1895, 1891-07-16

WORKING FOR FUN.

Hunting for Sweetness Is Much Nicer
Than just being sweet.
II is really lovely garden. Never
were there whittier lilies, nor hlucr vio-
let's nor more interesting pansies.
Isnt it needs something. think it is
bees.
For bees are SO picturesque. And
then the hiycs.-the hives are rs
picturesque as the bees themselves.
Anr'c-trees without bee-hivcs under
them are as forlorn as lilies without
bees over them.
80 we bought some beautiful hives.
and placed them in the orchard. just on
The edge of the garden. Soon they be-
gar to be filled with delicious honey in
dear little white cells: but the bees
were nowhere to be seen. Every morn
ing they disappeared, flying far out OF
sight, and the lilies and roses were as
forlorn as ever. We had the credit of
having bees, for everyone could see the
hives and taste the honey, but we did
not have the bees.
So one morning went out and talked
to them about it. -...
Dear bees. / said, "what is il that
yon miss in the garden? Every morning
yon fly away: but where can yon find
whittier lilies. or bluer violets, or more
interesting pansies?'
1--WE are rot looking for witness. or
blucness. or interestingness." the bees
explained. I'VE are looking for honey:
and the honey is better in the clover
field that is only a mile away"
.Oh. il that is all, exclaimed, glad
~, pray don't have the honey on your
minds"
I'VE DON'T they said. 1--WE carry it
in little bags"
~ mean, don't mind about the
honey
Certainly not: how could we, when
we haven't any minds?"
.But please don't feel obliged to hunt
for honey. don't care at all for honey:
that is | added, hastily, as II slight
buzzing made me fear that perhaps
had hurt their feelings, II like you. you
know, for yourselves alone, not for
what you can give me. The honey is
delicious, but we can buy it very nice
at the grocers. If you like honey for
yourselves will buy some, and fill the
hives for you. SO that you needn't work
ut all. If you will only stay in the gar
den and hover over the lilies, and-and
dc picturesque"
They promised to try. And they did
try. Whenever looked from my IL
brary windows, ! could see them prac-
ticing their lowering, and they really
lowered extremely well. Satisfied that
my garden was at last complete, ! gave
up watching it and devoted myself to
literary work. Every morning seated
myself ut the desk and wrote rapidly
till noon. But one day ! was inter-
ruptcd by a bee.
lie had flown in ut the window.
perch;ng himself on the lid of the ink
stand, he waited awhile: then at last he
asked quietly:
why are you not out of doors this
beautiful morning? The garden is
lovely: can not see" and he glanced
critically at the vases about the room
Il can not see that these lilies here are
any whittier. or the violcts any bluer, or
the pansies any more interesting than
those out there. And we miss you. A
garden really ought to have people
walking about in it. That is what
gardens are for. don't see why we
must be OFT there to be seen, when
there is nobody to see Us"
but. dear bee, | am not looking for
flowers this morning: am writing"
And what are you writing?"
"A sonnet"
Are there no sonnets to he had ut the
stores?''
'Oh. yes. Shakespeare and Milton's,
and Wordsworth's, Of course
And are your sonnets better than
Shakespeare's"'
'Why. of course not"
.'Tllen let your sonnet 60. Come out
in the garden with MS. and on the way
home I'll buy you a sonnet at the store:
a Shakespeare sonnct-the very best in
the market"
'.I.ut, you see want to try making a
sonnet Of my own"
very we'll: let me see you try"
took mp the pen again, and was soon
absorbed in my rhymes and rhythm.
Indeed. had quite forgotten that the
bee was there. till he stirred uneasily
and finally sighed.
Are you not happy in the garden?" /
asked.
Not very"
but why not? Haven't you all the
liberty you want?''
mo; we have every liberty except
the liberty we want"
.And that is -"
"rhc liberty to work. We find that
it isn't lilies: it isn't clover; it isn't
honey; it's making the honey that we
like. 1t isn't even making the honey
for you, that we care so much about;
because, you see. you don't like honey;
it's just making it."
II don't understand. can't see how
any body can really like TO work"
but we do. Suppose you finish your
sonnet, while try to think over few
arguments to present to you later"
So again took up the pen, and again
! was soon happily absorbed, and had
entirely forgotten the poor bee, till
heard him say YEARLY:
1T doesn't seem to be very easy to
write a sonnet"
mo" l exclaimed. enthusiastically
1T isn't at all easy. That is the charm
of it. Anybody can write some kind Of
verse, but very few people can write
sonnets. There are great many rules
for making sonnet; you can only have
just SO many lines, and just SO few
rhymes. and the sentiment must chang,
in just such a place. and very few peo
pie have the patience for it. Eve,
Shakespeare did not keep to the sevcres
style of sonnet"
And are you trying to obey all thu
rulcs?"
Yes"
"Why?'
"Why, for the fun of IT, 1t is so in
tcrcsting to see whether one can do it.
but it must be awfully tedious: an.
from your own account, you are reall'
working harder over it than you nee'
to-"
"Only because it is great deal NOR
interesting to do thing well than jus
to do it. Let me read you something
from Wordsworth's sonnet about tn