The National tribune., 1902-09-18

commands, the progress they had made
the previous day, what was now in front
or them, and what they knew of the
enemy, and his probable intentions.
The sun had come out in the meanwhile
as hot as 1T ever gets in South Carolina
toward the end of February, which would
be considered pretty warm Spring weather
Pete was carrying on his pommel received
he full force of the rays, and the bees
began to think it time to take a look
around outside as to how their fences had
stood the Winter.
The earliest bird among them, a vigor-
Gus young rascal, carrying keen and red
hot lance, started out to explore the sin
Sularly queer conditions under which she
awakened. Something or somebody was
rudely shaking her home and grossly in
sulting its inmates. 1t needed her instant
attention. She buzzed in anger as she felt
her way through the folds of the blanket
now loOsened by the jostling, and by the
time she crawled out on Pete's hand she
was as mad as a bee can get.
She gave him the benefit of all
the virus she had stored up during
her months of rest and recuperation,
and it seemed to him that a red-hot ram
rod about 10 feet long had been driven
through his hand. He walked up the pine
woods with yell of anguish, but he was
game and held on to the gum. The
bee buZZed back to her companions her
discoveries and achievement, and they
hastened out to assist and emulate her.
Another ambitious young creature, jeal-
Gus of the sensation produced by her sister,
and with a bag full of venom, decided that
Pete's cheek offered a chance for her sui
try little lance, and when she sent it down
it thrilled him to his foundation, and
wrung out another agonizing yell.
Abednego mistook this for an admoni-
tion to his greatest speed, and charged
down the road, scattering the animals
ahead, though their loads were too Sc
curely fastened to be dislodged. Abed-
nego soon had troubles of his own, for
several of the bees found his launches
good boring ground. He kicked and
plunged, Pete's cap flew off, and his blan-
ket went adrift, but he clung to the bee
gum with desperation, and wound his
legs around Abednego so firmly as to defy
the mules efforts to shake him off.
By the time he reached the group of
Generals in council of war, all the bees
were out and wildly hungry for something
to attack.
Abednego, covering a rod at every
frantic jump, and with Pete on his back
yelling as if he was being skinned, dashed
madly through the group, to which the
bees at once turned their attention, and
the dignified gathering acted as if they had
just escaped from lunatic asylum. Cen
Slocum only waited for the first stinging
to 'retire" down the road at a sharper
gallop than he had ever before been known
to take, and his staff followed. One of
the staff officers on foot was knocked over
by Abednego, and the rest yelled with
laughter and rushed out of reach, beating
at the bees with their hats and gantlets.
Jovial "Jim" Robinson shook with laugh
ter, yelled tauntingly at the scattering
Aids, and rode back a little, brushing
away the bees with his broad-brimmed
hat.
"Here, you little scoundrel, stop running
your mule like that" Gen. Williams had
shouted at Pete as he saw him approach;
"sOme of you men take him off and tie him
up"
The rest of his remarks famed into wild
profanity as the bees began settling
about his face. He snatched off his hat
with which to fight them and disarranged
his wig. His hat flew out of his hand
and he grabbed at his wig. His bald pate
seemed to the bees just the scene of opera
tions that they had longed for, and they
few at it with an earnest unanimity, while
the General fought them furiously with
his wig.
Gen. Geary tried to simply ignore the
bees with the stern dignity which had so
well become him when Governor of two
great cities and Territory embroiled in
civil war, but the bees got in some telling
work that made him vince and use words
never appearing in official papers.
81 and Shorty rushed up in the mean
while, and with cedar brushes succeeded
at last in somewhat relieving the situation.
"Gen. Robinson, think it is very un-
dignifed and contrary to proper discipline |
for you to sit there and laugh like zany |
cers' remarked Gen. Geary, as severely |
and dignifedly as he could while lodging !