Western liberal. (Lordsburg, N.M.) 1887-1919, 1905-11-24


be was not speaking to her he did moi
forbid her. but when a young man
called things were made 20 unpleasant
FOR him that be never repeated BIS
visit.
As the summer passed and winter
came on there were candy pulls and
spelling schools. Both were the heigh,
OF sncrilege In the dencon's eyes, and
be groaned in spirit and gritted his
teeth when he knew that his daughter
attended thom.
IL was IN June that the deacon had
vowed not 20 speak to his daughter
again until she had become repentant.
Now and then. as time passed. the wife
ventured to shy something TO her hus-
band. but only to End him 0bdurnte.
What he had said he had said. What
he had said must be right because he
had said II. and ne would therefore
stick to II until the day Of his death.
Let Ruth get down on her knees
to me and confess that she has done
wrong and l will speak to her, and
perhaps forgive her" was invariably
his answer. but time continued to pass
and Ruth did not kneel.
One day the deacon's wife was called
10 the bedside Of a sick n~eighbor. The
deacon had n dozen swarms Of bees,
md as he came up from the field about
? o'clock that afternoon he found one
Of the hives swarming. He ran for a
tin pan and began to beat Il, and In
his excitement he almost spoke to his
daughter. who was working in the gar
den. He caught himself In time,
though, and resumed his beating and
gnmbOiing around. A spare hive
should have been ready, but was not.
The bees therefore circled and buzz
ed around for ten minutes and finally
began to light. Unfortunately for the
deacon they lighted on him. In two
minutes they had covered his straw
hat and neck; in two more they were
clinging to his shoulders in great
masses.
AS she planted her hollyhOck and
sunlower seeds Ruth heard a still,
small voice utteTing her name. She in-
v~estigated and found that her father
had become a king bee. His back
resembied a pear tree. and he was ter
rlbly frightened. Two thousand bees
chung to him, and IL he disturbed them
he was n dead man.
well, daddyT' asked the girl as she
stopped within ten feet of him.
Ruth, you will find an empty hive in
the barn. Get 1t and smear some
leases over the front Of It,"
"Are you really speaking to me,
daddy?"
"of course 1 am. Can't you see the
FIX I'm int"
But you were not to speak again
until I beg your pardon"
go after that hive. DO you want tc
see me stung to death?"
The bees are quiet now. About that
hammock, daddy-may l have 1t up this
SUMMER"
"No-that is, I guess you can"
And may / ride one of the horses 2
"If-if they are o too tired"
And l may climb trees and jumI
fencesT'
"Are you going for that hivef"
when you answer"
Then climb and jump all you wan.
to-"
zone more question. daddy. May
have young men come here to see me?'
The deacon groaned.
May 1? The bees seem to be getting
angry"
Eyes, have 'em and be hanged tC
you'll" shouted the deacon, using slang
for the FIRST time In fifteen years.
The hive vas brought and Bmeared
with sweet stun. and presently the bees
began TO find their way into It. At the
end OF ten minutes the deacon shooh
himself. drew a long breath and said
to his daughter:
III you ever tell mother or any one
else about 1t I'll box your ears, big as
you areg"