The Washburn leader. [volume] (Washburn, McLean County, N.D.) 1890-1986, 1896-09-12
Old EPHS BEE TREE.

One Of the best known residents Of
Pudd's Hollow was Ephraim Stark
weather, more Familiarity known as Old
Eph. Old Eph was a little, dried-up
man, with bristling gray chin whiskers
and a twinkling eye that looked out
from under bushy brows. No n
knew how old he was, for lie had been
the first settler at Pudd's Hollow and
those who had followed him could not
Remember that he ever looked any
younger. Gene Tompkins, the post
master, said he recokoned Eph was be-
tween 100 and 200 years old, but he
'wouldn't venture to say that he
wasn't nigh onto 300"
In the face of all these speculations
old Eph kept his peace, and when the
boys asked him solemnly If he remem-
bered seeing Gen. Washington, II
whether or not he was present at
the battle of Bunker Hill, his eyes only
twinkled slyly, and he passed it OFT as
O joke. For he knew as Well as any
one that the boys were only III fun,
and that they enjoyed nothing better
than to visit him in mis- little house by
the creek and to look at the rifles sand
shOtguns that hung on the raftcrs, or
heal him tell how he shot h hear or
tcoon whose hide he was stretching on
the boards at. the back of his wood
shed.
Old Eph was a famous hunter, fisher
and bee man. He knew the woods as
well as most men know heir own sit
ting rooms-where the cartridges
~,,okk1I ~v,o.o Tho 1pp11yo fn6 in tho
rice beds and the pools where the best
bass fishing was to be found. And,
besides this, when he was in the mood
he could tell the. most wonderful
stories, and this alone was enough to
endear him to all the boys of Pudd's
Hollow.
One sunny afternoon in late Septem-
Der Frank Staples, Con Bigelow and
Fred Horn walked up the grassy
wagon road from Pudd's Hollow to
the home of old Eph. AS they climbed
over the stile that led to the house
they saw thesold man working with a
number Of pals, crooks and tubs. In
deed, he seemed to have all the uten-
sils that he owned out in his back
yard near the well house.
wonder what &Eph's doin'," said
Con, with the greatest interest.
"P'raps he's trying to keep a lot of
fish alive in the tubs" put in Fred,
who was the youngest of the three.
"No," answered Frank, with some
disgust; "old Eph wouldn't be that
foolish"
But they all ~quickened their steps,
and when old Eph saw them he
Strengthened up and smiled.
"Hullo, boys" he said, with the
fest pOOd nature.
And at that moment they peeped into
the tubs.
"Honey," they all shouted in a breath.
And honey it was, tubs and pals and
pans of it, to say nothing Of the gen
erous supply daubed on Eph's mouth
and hands.
"Have a bite?" asked the old hunter,
and then without waiting for q reply
he dipped up a generous supply Of rich
yellow comb On three shingles and
passed them to the boys. The honey
melted rapidly away, and then the
boys began to ask questions.
Been finding bee trees, Eph?"
"Waal, now, what'd you s'pose this
come from, anyhow? Think it growed
in my garden?" and the old man
good humor over his success.
"When'd you find it," asked Con.
"Last night-an' Molly an me have
been drawin' in honey ever SINCE"
"Where was it, Eph?" asked Fred
eagerly.
"Waal, now, that's p'inted, isn't 1t?
P'raps you'd like to go and find it.
I've seen whole families in the same
fix before, eh?" and old Eph kept the
location of the tree quite to himself.
''Y'see," he said, '.p'raps there's an
other tree around near there, and I
may want to get more honey fore
many days."
When the boys heard this they were
much excited, but tease as hard as
they could they were unable to find out
anything more about it. So they be-
gan to joke old Eph about his age. 1t
was what they fell back upon when
ever they couldn't persuade the old
liked him to do. Close in the corner of
the house they sat in the shade nib
bling away on the honey, and laughing
and talking about "Methusalem," as
Fred called the Biblical patriarch. Old
Eph worked busily In the sun getting
his honey ready to take to town. He
listened to the Joking in the greatest
good nature, sometimes rallying Frank
about his shooting or Fred about his
fear Of the water, but always heaping
up the shingles with honey az often as
they were passed up.
Toward SHUTDOWN the boys loitered.
of toward home.
.I'll tell you what" said Con, sud-
denly, "Old Eph knows where that
tree is, and it's probably got 200 or
300 pounds Of honey in it. Why can't
we rustic and find it ourselves, and
make some money!"
Lets do it! Let's do it!!' exclaimed
Frank, much excited by the sugges-
ton.
Fred was quite as fascinated by the
plan as were the other two boys; but
while they were discussing it his face
suddenly grew grave.
.aThat would hardly be fair to old
Eph," he said.
"Neyer you fear about that" said
Con. "Old Eph didn't tell 7us where it
is. did he? And II we find 1t, we find
It ourselves, don't we? Well, then, I
guess we've got q right to look for it,
invent we. FRANKIE"
Frank agreed with him heartily, and
Fred, although not fully convinced,
couid not resist the temptation of TAX
ing part in the fascinating adventure.
Frank had once been out with Eph,
when he was hunting wild bee trees.
and he was confident that he knew all
about It. And both Fred and Con q
heard 80 many stories told by bee men
that they also felt familiar with the
sport.