The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1906-12-27
Extraordinary
Bumb|ebeeS

the creek as | came along this morn
ing" said John Todhunter as he slid
a basket of eggs across the counter
and called for can of baking powder,
three cakes of soap and pound of
chewing tobacco.
The patch of hay land of the dea-
cons down by the creek was never
failing source of excitement at Rural
vile. In the last five years in cutting
that one piece of hay the deacon had
had seven runaways, torn three now
ing machines to pieces, killed two
horses, caused the death of one man
and crippled two others.
But dag my cats if it amt jest
hatchery such good hay that | can't
come to considerin' lettin' 1t stand
said the deacon every year, when the
clover in the bottom grew tall and
rank.
Bumblebees were what gave the
deacon's patch of hay land its noto-
riety They were no ordinary humble
bees, but of a larger breed known
among the farmers as the big yellow
legged variety" Tom Wicks, who
worked for the deacon, said he killed
three of the bees one morning and got
enough honey off their hind legs to
last his family for a week. But Tom
was such a liar that a great deal Of
dependence could not be put in what
he said.
There was a popularity about those
bumblebees of the deacon's. Some
days they would't fight at all. The
moving machine could cut the hay
above their nest and they wouldn't
stir and probably the next morning a
team couldn't drive over the hill until
they would be after it in feather and
war paint
The men who worked for the deacon
feared those bumblebees worse than
Apache Indians. When the cry of
bumblebees was raised everyone
dropped his work and ran for shelter
One year "Rube" Chisohm was NOW
ing for the deacon. He had cut half
a day and the bees hadn't bothered.
He came out in the afternoon, hot
summer day, when hardly a leaf
stirred or a blade Of grass ratified. He
struck q band of the bees out for blood
Before "Rube" hardly realized what
he had run into, one eye had swollen
shut and the light of day was fast
closing from the other. "Rube' was
baldheaded and, of course, he took of
his hat to fight the bees. When they
saw the shiny bald spot they wanted
no better target. With shrieks and
yells and oaths, fighting as he ran,
"Rube" made for a pond near the hay
field He plunged head first into the
water. but those bees were not to be
foiled in any such manner as that.
They made angry dabs at the ripples
and waited, getting angrier every min.
ute. They kept "Rube' going down
and up for breath until finally he
stayed down too long. Poor 'Rube.
The autopsy revealed that he had been
stung 1,3S9 times, 1913 of which were
on the top of his head.
Fighting bumblebees Is about as
unsatisfactory as an encounter with
buzZ-saw and not half as uncertain as
to the final outcome" the deacon used
to say The man acquainted with bum
blebees offered no resistance, but
ducked and ran when the first angry
hum was heard. OF late years the only
way the deacon could get anyone to
work in that hay field was by provid
ing heavy canvas sleeping bags for the
men to crawl into until the bees would
quiet down and return to their nests
Two years ago the man who was run
ming the moving machine had to lie in
a sleeping bag on that hay field for
two hours in the middle of hot after
noon.
The bees made sudden changes in
the appearance Of that bayfield, Where
all was industry, the hum of the NOV.
ing machine, the click of the rake and
the banter Of the men at the stack
blending in the wavy heat lines of a
summer afternoon, in a few minutes
could become havoc and confusion.
The horses madly scampered for the
and paved at their tormentors, their
driver scrambled into the shelter OF
his canvas bag, the boy on the rake
disappeared in badger hole and only
the heels of theemen at the stack were
visible as they burrowed into the hay.
But the men had their fun with the
bees. There was a young man from
the city who boarded at the deacon 5
one summer. He was very fond of
honey and wished to take a stand OF
bees back to his suburban home After
the bees had been on a rampage one
afternoon and had quoted down he
happened to come out into the hay.
field Now was his chance to get a
stand of bees, he was told by the hay.
makers. The mouth of jug contain
ing little water had a strange fas
Cination for bees on a summer after
noon They would forget everything
and rush in the open jug If it was
placed near their den. Visions OF
honey in his own backyard caused
the city man to start with the water
| jug for the bees home The audacity
| OF the man astounded the bees and
they never stirred until he set the jus
| down and started away. Then THEN
| fury became uncomfortable. The city
man was on his honeymoon, but he hat
| to be introduced to his bride of two
weeks that night.-Kansas City Star
|