The Mount Holly news. [volume] (Mount Holly, Burlington Co., N.J.) 1891-1942, 1901-11-26
STRENUOUS SINGERS.
The Wasp Has More Executive Tact
Than Any Other Singing Insect.


Than Any Other Singing Insect.
81 read in one of the magazines recent
ly something about the sting of the bee, y
said a citizen, 'and | was reminded of an
experience l had with a friend some time
ago while in the country. He was plow-
ing over behind a small clump of hills,
and they were well wooded almost down
to the fence line. 1t was a section which
is noted for making wildcat whisky, and
this fact threw me off the track, as will
appear hereafter. l was approaching my
friend from the hillside. l was riding.
Suddenly | thought he glanced at me,
and at the same time he rushed around
hurriedly to the singletree, unlocked the
trace chains, threw them across the
horses back, and the animal struck out
Oh a dead run down the turning row
which split the ravine. My friend fol
lowed, and it was a race for who laid
the rail, as they say in the country.
could see through it all in minute. My
friend had been making moonshine whis-
ky, and he thought | was a United States
marshal. | split my sides laughing over
the thought of the thing, and then |
struck down the ravine after him. trav-
eled some distance before catching sight
OF my friend and his horse. Finally
found them close to a branch, and my
friend was STOPPING down occasionally,
picking up something and smearing it on
his hands, face and neck
"'Hello, Bill l said smilingly. I guess
you thought l was a United States mar
shall United Statesv he said almost I'M
civilly. 4 plowed up a hornets nest.
AID s,,ra aDouoh ha bad and both tho
man and the horse were as knotty as a
hickory limb as the result of it all. The
bee may be a good singer, but the hor-
net is the fieetest thing on wings when it
comes to using the singer with swiftness
and effect.
''That reminds me of the curious meth
DDS of bees and things of that sort in
stinging," the narrator continued. Take
the honeybee, for instance. Now, the
honeybee is what you might call lazy,
clumsy, docile sort of singer Really the
bee is awkward when compared with
other insects. The bumbebee is a trifle
more vigorous, and there is a deal more
of what one may call action in its move
ments. 1t is a striking sort of sting, and
l have seen children almost knocked
down by these heavier members of the
bee family 1t is mean sting to handle,
too, and does not yield so quickly to
treatment The hornet and the yellow
jacket sting on the wing, as it were. They
do their work quickly, but thoroughly,
and they generally leave record behind
them that they would have no cause to
feel ashamed of if they had this element
in their makeup.
But there is my old friend the wasp.
1 want to speak of him. He is the prince
of stingers. You may not forget him so
quickly when he stings you. He leaves a
sort of waspy taste in your mouth. and it
is anything but pleasant, and it is taste
you will remember even after the years
have gone by. The wasp is a lingering
sort of fellow. He lovingly and caress-
ingly stings, perches for awhile on ones
neck, may say, and then huns about
his business. But really, while the wasp
fingers longer than other insects while
singing, he also shows more anger and is
probably the most spiteful member in the
list of singing insects. New Orleans
Times Democrat.