Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-08-07
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WHY BEES MAKE HONEY.
Hunting for Sweetness Is Much Nicer
Than just Being Sweet.


But it needs something. think it is
bees.
For bees are so picturesque! And
then the hives!-the hives are as
as the bees themselves.
Apple trees without bee-hives under
them are as forlorn as lilies without
bees over them.
So we bought some beautiful hives,
and riaced them in the orchard, just on
the edge of the garden. Soon they be-
gan to be filed 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 it that
you miss in the garden? Every morning
you fly away; but where can you find
winter lilies, or bluer violets, or more
interesting pansies?"
"We are not looking for witness, or
blueness, or interestingness," the bees
explained. 1--WE are looking for honey;
and the honey is better in the clover
field that is only mile away"
ooh! if that is all, exclaimed, glad
ly, pray don't have the honey on your
minds"
1--WE don't" they said. "We carry it
in little bags"
81 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" l added, hastily, as a slight
buzzing made me fear that perhaps
had hurt their feelings, 81 like you, you
know, for yourselves alone, not for
what you can give me. The honey is
delicious, but we can buy 1t very nice
at the grocer's. If you like honey for
yourselves will buy some, and fill the
hives for you, so that you needn't work
at all, if you will only stay in the gar
den and hover over the lilies, and-and
be picturesque.
They promised to try. And they did
try. Whenever l looked from my Ii
brary windows, could see them prac-
ticing their lowering, and they really
lowered extremely we'll. Satisfied that
my garden was at last complete, gave
up watching it and devoted myself to
literary work Every morning ] seated
myself at the desk and wrote rapidly
till noon. But one day ! was inter-
rupted by bee.
He had flown in at the window.
Perching 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
81 can not see that these lilies here are
any whittier, or the violets 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 out there to be seen, when
there is nobody to see u.s.
but, dear bee, | am not looking for
flowers this morning; / am writing"
"And what are you writing?"
"a sonnet"
"Are there no sonnets to be had at the
stores?"
"Oh, yes! Shakespeare's and Millions,
and Wordsworth's of course"
"And are your sonnets better than
Shakespeare's?"
"Why, of course not"
"Then let your sonnet go. Come out
in the garden with us, and on the way
home I'll buy you a sonnet at the store
a Shakespeare sonnet-the very best il
| the market"
but, you see l want to try making
sonnet of my own"
every well; let me see you try"
l took up the pen again, and was soor
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 gardenP"
asked.
mot very"
But why notP Haven't you all the
liberty you want?'
"No; we have every liberty excep
the liberty we want"
"And that Is ~
1.-THE liberty to work. We fnd tha
1t isn't lilies; II isn't clover; 1t ism
honey; it's making the honey that w
like. 1t isn't even making the hone,
for YOU, that we care so much about
because, you see, you don't like honey
it's just making it. "
81 don't understand. can't see hov
anybody can really like to work"
"Rut we do. Suppose you finish you
sonnet, while try to think over fev
arguments to present TO you later
So again took up the pen, and agail
l was soon happily absorbed, and ha'
entirely forgotten the poor bee, till
heard him say yNvearily;
1T doesn't seem to be very easy t
write sonnet
"No," | exclaimed, enthusiastically
1T isn't ut all easy That is the CHAIR
of IT, Anybody can write some kind
verse, hut very few people can writ
sonnets. There are great many rule