Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1905-10-28
A Four-story Story

"N-no. I've got an ideaw
"Shoo! Now, Pa Perkins, don't you
60 to foolin with them squashes and
tryin' to make citrons or pumpkins out
Of them. When people want squashes
they don't want anything else"
"Squashes be hangedw he indignant
ly shouted Il tell you I've got an idea
that will make us rich as John Jacob
Aston within two years! It's goin' to
upset the hull worldw
La me! Sit down on the steps and
tell me about it while I finish this pie
and get it into the oven. If you've got
an idea it's something new, and hope
it won't strike in and make you sick.
Now, then, what is it?
you've seen a beehive, of course?"
II wasn't born blind.9
"You know that a swarm of bees
swarms every year?
"Of course"
'But why do they swarm?"
why does a bull go around PAWN
the earth and bellerin'? He does it be-
cause it's his nature It's the nature of
bees to swarm every spring, and what
are you goin' to do about it?"
"That's it-that's the idea-that's just
what wanted you to sayy' exclaimed
Pa Perkins as he rolled off the door
steps in his excitement.
"Well, I've said it, and now what
of it,"
"a swarm Of bees swarms because
the swarm gets so large that there
amt room for all in the hive. If there
was room there'd be no swarmin'
Can't you understand that?'
Eyes, you may be right"
"For two weeks before the swarrnin
takes place they are all upset and
loafn' around, The same is the case
for two weeks afterward. There's a
worl1in month lost S'pose that could
be saved? Wouldn't they produce
heap more money? Wouldn't the own
er of the hives be saved heap Of
bother and troubleY'
''It looks that way, pa, butt
"Now don't go to THROWN any cold
water until you hear it all. S'posin'
had a four story beehive That would
give two swarms twice the room they
have now. Havin' twice the room,
they wouldn't swarm only once in two
years instead Of every year. Do you
see the p'int?"
II seem to, but lemme see how that
pie is comm on. Now go ahead ag'in.
Why not make an eight story hive, and
then they wouldn't swarm but once in
four yearsY
cit would have to be as big as
house for that" answered the man
with an idea. I'LL start with four
story and see how that works"
what! Are you goin' into beesY'
II am Hammer. I'll set to work this
very day on four story hive and be-
fore shutdown tomorrer I'll have two
swarms of bees into it. BY thunder,
but I,Ye bit it,
"Now, pa"
''I amt sWearin'; I'm jest leetle eX-
cited. How on earth Christopher Co.
lumbus, George Washington and Napo-
leon Bonaparte passed over the idea
can't understand. It's the biggest thing
mortal man ever thunk out, and I'll
see about havin' it patented next week.
Meanwhile don't you lisp word. On
your life, don't mention it to a single
person. If they ask what the four sto-
ry beehive u.s. tell 'em it's a henhouse."
The wife promised, and the husband
- hi
at once. 1t was two days before he had
the hive in place. Each swarm had
two full floors to itself, and when they
got too large the first could move up
into the second and the third into the
fourth. Each swarm had it's own front
and back doors, and if they didn't get
along in a neighborly way it was not
the builders fault. A farmer six miles
away had swarms to sell, and when
the big hive was ready Mr.. Perkins
got horse and wagon and went after
inmates. The farmer wanted to talk
about bees, their habits, their little idi-
Oms, and to give his customer some
pointers, but Mr.. Perkins was on his
guard. Not a word did he say to
give his secret away. He brought the
bees home at night and arranged the
hives so that they must leave them in
the morning for the larger affair, and
when he went to bed he rubbed his
hands and said to his wife:
Hammer, / can't comprehend how l
ever got that idea, but it's goin' to
bring us in bar'ls and bar'ls Of money.
When you are rollin' in diamonds you'll
know who to be thankful to-"
The sun came up hot and red next
morning, and as soon as it burned UP
the mist the ices were heard from.
Each swarm was willing to occupy the
new hive, but each wanted it all for
itself. 1t didn't take long to start a
scrap and three minutes after 1t start
ed it took in all the insects. After
beautiful old row they suddenly made
ZIP their minds that "the man higher