The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1894-09-14
MISS BELINDA'S BEES.
How They AEzsSed the Little GOD
OF Love.


When the city visitors who swarrned
around Maple Center and registered
their names by the score in the looks
Of the village hotel strolled out on the
Maple road they always stopped at the
Bubble farmhouse and cried: How ex-
quisitel How picturesquel" And, for
the lie Of her Mss belinda Bubble
did not know why
b at amt as II could afford a coat Of
paint 70 the old house." said she ITS
just d slate brown, with winter storms
and summer suns, and the grape ar
boris al a-turnblin' down for lack of Il
brace or two of solid timber; and the
well sweep amt half as convenient as
Mrs. ClaRhorp's new chain pump, no
way you can Fix il; and the stun walls
all overgrowcd with them pesky run
MIN vines and briers! To be sure, the
four o'clocks and nornin' glories are
sort o pretty by the fence, and there
amt no prettier hollyhocks in the
country than them dark-red and cherry
colored ones Jest this side Of the pear
tree. AS for the beehives, always did
like beehives, even il it wasn't for the
honey. Ny mother set heap O. store
by them beehives, and there they've
stood, nine of 'em in row, ever since
can remember And there amt no
honey in all the county as has got the
flavor of ourn. 1 don't know whether
it's Squire Csrbuncle's buckwheat field
or that there clover medder of Mr. Oar
nells as does it But you can fairly
taste the sunshine and the flowers
in itv'
And IL was a genuine sight, ut swarm
ing-time, when Miss Belinda issued
forth into the black and booming
clouds, all gloved and veiled and tied
up in a mosquito netting. with tin
pan and skinner In her haud.
~ ginerally have first rate good luck
with the swerms," said Belinda IL
don't know when I've lost one, IL Only
folks would let me alone But It's
the neddlin' people that come to offer
their help that upsets me and the bees
Squire Car buncle, now he's real sensi-
Die. lie don't never come round inter
ferin'. IL he sees the bees maxim up
their minds TO swarm he Jest gets up
house. For bees, they're dreadful SEN
sible They have their likes and their
dislikes, Jest as human reeturs have
and they never could get along with
Squire Carbunclel-
Squire Carbuncle was quiet, grizzle-
headed man of City, who farmed a
model farm. with all the new ma.
chinery patents literally oiled with
gold. read the agricultural papers, and
was always Just going to- write an
article for the Gentleman Farmer.
Miss Bubble herself was not much
younger. She supported herself In a
genteel way by vest-making for a fac
tory in the neighborhood.
II s'pose," said Miss Bubble, Squire
carbuncle III get married some day, and
do hope he'll choose a sociable wife
that can take comfort with, exchapg-
ing patterns and chatti ng Of an even
ing over the garden fen ce."
Belinda Bubble is sensible wom-
an, said Squire Car but ucle, in his deep,
sonorous voice ITO my certain know
ledge she has refused one or two
shiftless fellows who wanted to marry
her merely to be supported She's a
good deal better of single than mar
Red"
Miss Belinda never said word when
Squire Carbunclc's superb liver-colored
setter killed her favorite Muscovy duck
and the squire, on his part, condoned
the offense when Miss Bubbles chick.
ems scratched up all his early lettuce
and made havoc with his seeding pan
sizes and pinks.
'Neighbors orter be neighborly,"
said Miss Belinda "And dogs nature
is dogs naturel"
~ must stop up the cracks under the
fence" said the squire. ''Of course,
Belinda can't help her chickens getting
throughl No woman could"
Thus matters were, when Miss Be
linda's cousin, Fannie Halkett, came
TO visit her--a plump, peach-cheeked
young woman who was cashier at a
glove-stors IN the city.
Cousin Bubble" said Fannie, ''why
don't you marry Squire Carbuncle2-
LA, Fanniei" cried the elderly dam
sci. starting back so suddenly ,.that she
bIePped on oue OF the Velvet-WhlCe
paws Of the pet kitten.
"Yes, truly. why don't your" said
Fannie. ''He needs wife and IL
would be very nice for you to have
husband Now wouldn't it?"
GO long said Miss Belinda ~
new thought of such q, thingl Nor
him neither. Go out, Fannie, and pick
mess q white Antwerp raspberries
for tea and don't let me hear no more
such nonsense"
'Nonsense!' echoed Fannie, laugh
ing, as sho went off with a blue-edged
bowl in her hand But l think il
Ant nonsense at allH
And among the Antwerp raspberry
vines she talked the matter over with
JulianHalL Squire Carbuncle's nephew,