The daily morning Alaskan., 1902-03-29
The ScribDling Bees

have ever known was that or the Vu' lage cure with whom as little boy ai school used to spend my vacations.
 Such fine cabbage beds, bordercd with crisp green lettuce. and all so carefully weedcd. raked and swept.
 They were waterCd morning and evening before sunrise and after sun set from an old sandstone fountain. green with mosses and water cress, from which escaped by thousand llt' tie holes threads of crystal and tiny singing rlvulets.
 SarrasIn. the Gruyrdlgger, held rhe office of gardener. Al first this Idea was offensive to my childish mind. The grass seemed to smell of death and the currant bushes to taste of the ceme- tery.
 But in short time l forgot about thls. as there was rarely a death In the village Sarrasln often remarked that his title of grayedlgger was more a joke than anything else.
 At the top of the garden. back of the old fountain. was narrow strip Of land. rather lonely sort of place, where NJ. le Cure used to pass every moment no; occupied with the duties of his sacred office.
 From n distance 1 could watch him in company with the gravedlggcr. al ways moving about In an excited man ner and making the most remarkable gestures. They forbade my approach
 M. le Cure does not want you" Sarrasln said. "There are only bee. hives there"
 In truth these mysterious hives filled the garden with buzzlng bees, dartinG here and there the llyelong day. intoX' lcatcd apparently with pollen from the heart of the hollyhockS.
 But why was forbidden to look at the hives?
 At what strange work were Inc brr' engaged In the company of a prics, and a gravcdlggcr?
 One afternoon M. le Cure and Sarra sin were called quite distance away 10 bury an old woman. Thus left alone. [ could not control my curloslt. another moment With beating heart 1 went Sira chl 10 the forbidden ground hack of the fountain. There l found a plot Of dry. sandy soil, plant. cd with rosemary. lavender and every sarlety of herb. all giving a graylsh lint and giving forth a delicious odor as they cracklcd nnderfoot. A thick rloud Of bees. shining like gold In the sunlight. indicated the corner where Che hives were located, for Sarrasin had not lied to me-hivcs there were indeed. but what hives.
 Picture 10 yourself an odd array Of boxes. proppcd up one against another and only held In their places by mir aclc Of equilibrium; long boxes. archcd boxes. boxes looking like fabulons monsters with arms and bcaks. They were an pierced with holes through which the hcrs went in and out as lranqullly a lLuush their homes were ordinary h!yps. but thlS fact did no; rcaSsugc me. and terrified by the uu. natural appearance of all. fed back Co the peaceful vegetable garden.
 Ten years later a chance walk took me again to' the. village. found the cure broken in health and much older In appca; ancc. The grayedigger was dead. Tho little garden was almost a wilderness of herbs. but in the dis tancc heard as in farmcr days. the hum Of bees Tkis recalled my ad venture. and | resolved to make a ,lcau breast of it.
 On questioning tho old cure he began 10 laugh and Insisted upon showing me his hives. There they were in the same lonely ll,,lr strip of land hrhInd The fountain. al havias thc same odd shapes which lal startled my childlSh yes years before
 "li ls uu id"a cf mine" said the tirr "l hnvr worked over i for wc9jy years lt las cost me nui,r rm rf money and a gr,ul deal ot unr' s..t siiii hope rlr sUccrss"
 ca to1 sl.SS what thr od m1a was yo,a,ac 10; an! wasi Lad ,urn'd his i1.r rr'maiurcly whirt
 VIII lt tcn to ono that y.u ncs Irr ii up
 r., was determined make his hcc' vrl,, ia lrttrrs of h'n'N. "Nivr rrm rrar lt wJs for lhi> end they ha,
 pj e, dew or mpruug dariiae iJhcr and thilb,r m iur errcu valley
 t.l,- thcms iyrS win po.!rn aai
 th.r iurd amirr ip li t'r .,s hiJ known, Eu tIc Lr.s, did n'' ,nuw
 ll Gi~ u.'.cr uf rUrr th. o'l pI sl i.'t ways h.d certain uwou"i or Uw ..i.u and iu lhr evolution oi what b, g,.l,d his idea had a ur,.icd ,hr m NJ .a,mrl!,al hopes The thirteen letters ,ucr renp..,.d. hr intended 10 n.l hem yellow as the sunshine and rm lrumrrrd In the fine hryagonal cells DO b0ard the frunt-Oi which shOu'i he carved Co represent the Are dc Tn Omphe This achievement uhould bc exhibited In Paris. and the emperor could not do less tha" ace rd him n medal and make him an honorary can on.
 But what endless trouble he had to arrive at this result: These impiSh bees were so cnpriciOus. Certain lct terS dsplcased them no one knew why. The inhabitants Of an |. or uu F would find their winding. twisted dwelling unnatural and lnconvenieni and would desert it. and there were othcn nnnoyanccs. Tn, Y of vivr was