The Helena independent. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1875-1943, 1891-11-03
A DREAM OF WILD BEES.

A mother sat alone at an open window.
Through it came the voices of the children
as they played under the acacia trees and
the breath of the hot afternoon air. In and
out of the room few the bees, the wild
bees, with their legs yellow with pollen, 60
ing to and from the acacia trees, droning
all the while. She sat on a low chair be-
fore the table and darned. She took her
work from the great basket that stood be-
fore her on the table: some lay on her knee
and half covered the book that rested
there. She watched the needle go in and
out, and the drsary hum of the bees, and
the noise of the children's voices became a
confused murmur in her ears, as she
worked slowly and more slowly. Then the
bees, the long-leRged, wasp-liks fellows,
who make no honey. few closer and closer
to her head, droning. Then she grew more
and more drowsy, and she laid her hand,
with the stocking over it, on the edge of tho
table, and leaned her head upon it. And the
voices of the children outside grew more
and more dreamy, came now far, now near;
then she did not hear them, but she felt
under her heart where the ninth child lay.
Bent forward and sleeping there, with the
bees flying about her head, she had a weird
brain picture; she thought the bees length
ened and heightened themselves oct and
became human creatures and moved round
and round her. Then one came to her
softly, saying: Let me lay my hand upon
thy sid where the child sleeps. If I shall
touch him he shall be as l."
She asked. "Who are your"
And he said, 81 am Health. Whom I
touch will have always the red blood dane
ing in his veins; he will not know weariness
nor pain; life will be q long laugh to him.
mo-" said another, "let mo touch; for /
am Wealth. If touch him material care
shall not feed On him.. He shall live on the
blood and sinews OF his fellow men, ii he
will; and what his eye lusts for his hand
will have. He shall not know Il want"
And the child lay still like lead.
And another said. Let me touch him, /
am. Fame. The man / touch | lead to a
high hill where all men may see him. When
he dies he is not forgottsnn. his name rings
down the centuries, each echoes it on to his
fellows. Think not to be forgotten
through the nges!"
And the mother lay breathing steadily,
but in the brain picture they pressed closer
to her.
"Iet me touch the child said one, "for
l am Love. If l touch him he shall not
walk through life alone. In the greatest
dark, when he puts ont his hand he shall
find another hand by it. Whom tho world
is against him another shall say, You and
L." And tbs child trembIed.
But another pressed close and said: "Let
me touch, for | am Talent. can do all
things-that have been done before. |
touch the soldier, the statesman, the
thinker and tn. politician who succeed:
and the writer who is never before his time
and never behind 1t. If | touch the child
he shall not weep for failure"
lA-,, no .,D{ 81. h-.l ~ I-- -
flying, touching her with their long, taper
ing limbs; and, in her brain picture, out of
the shadow of the room came one with
sallow face. deep lined, the cheeks drawn
into hollows and q mouth smiling qulver-
6ngly. He stretched out his hand and the