The Lee County journal. (Leesburg, Ga.) 1904-19??, 1906-02-02

@saCE~. 7 was discovered by Lee
Z Stevens one July after
q O noon, when he was fishing
a in Nelson's Creek which
sEESg flows through the noun
tains OF West Virginia into the Poto-
mac From the western side of the
creek the mountain rose in gray
assured bluff, fully sixty feet in height
a dead black-gum tree growing ut the
margin Of the wafer reached halfway
up the face of the bluff, and round the
top Of this tree Lee observed a great
flight Of bees The tree, 1t appeared,
was a "bee-tree."
Lee watched the insects with inter
est. for he was himself 4 bee-keeper.
In partnership with Fred Armstrong,
who lived on the adjoining farm, he
was operating an apiary, which had
grown from six to twenty colonies,
and had already produced a pleasant
little bank account
Lee saw that the nest of bees was
not in the tree. 1t was in the bluff
itself, which was brushed by the dead
branches. But as he could not see the
actual entering place, he took off his
coat and began to climb the tree.
lie had to so to the very top but ne
saw what he wanted. The stronghold
of the bees was in n fissure of the
rock, with an entrance not four inches
in diameter. Below it n projecting
ledge made, rs 1t were. a doorstep
about a foot wide, and this shelf was
covered with bees, alighting or crawl
ing about.
1t was evidently a very active and
populous colony; it might well contain
hundreds Of pounds Of honey and wax.
But before Lee could make further OBJ
.servations he was stung on the wrist,
and slid huriedly to the ground,
The next day he brought Armstrong
10 look at the place The smaIlness of
the entrance was awkward. for they
could neither get at the bees nor take
out the combs without breaking them.
But the rock was so cracked that it
looked as it Il piece might be pried off
to enlarge the opening. which Lee
thought, could easily be reached from
the topsof the tree
Three days later the boys returned
TO the blur equipped with a small.
sharp iron bar, an AK, and defensive
Nrmor Of gauze wells and cotton gloves
reaching to the elbow. rs well as Il
bee-smoker loaded with q potent mix
ture Of green tobacco leaves and hicl-
DRY bark They did not intend to get
the honey on this visit After enarg-
ing the entrance, it would be better to
allow the insects a day or two to grow
quiet.
Fred agreed to undertake the work
aloft, and he put on his gloves and
veil, put the bar in his pocket and
lighted the smoker. which he Slung
around his neck. Then he went mp
the tree, while Lee watched from be-
low.
The ledge Swarmed with bees. A
deep hum came from the dark hole
and the warm fragrance of honey and
wax But he found that Lee had mis-
calculated the distance between the
treetop aud the ledge The branches
would not bear him. au,4Ae could not
reach the opening. lie gould not come
within three feet of'St, sand he threw
his weight on that side of the tree and
tried to sway the trunk little.
BE careful! That trees rotten"
called Lee. from below.
But the trunk had bent forward ral
enough for Fred to grasp the jagged
edge of the granite, and to get one
knee upon the ledge.
He chung there against the spring OF
the tree holding to the rock with hi,
left hand. while with his right hand h,
drew the iron bar and began TO pry Al
crey,ce beside the aperture.
At the first click Of the iron the bees
were upon him, coming like tiny ar
rows against his veil He unslung til,
smoker and poured smoke into the hole
checking the attack temporarily.
1t was tic&lish work, clinging a
once to the tree and the ledge. but I'll,
fragment Of rock gave way under tht
crowbar 1t moved. With n srOn:
effort he dlslodged it, and it fell
1t left the opening n trife larger. )
cloud of bees rose like a pun OF dens
smoke and almost at the same momeu
there was 2 cr-rackl from the deat
tree trunk. a yell of dismay from Lee
and the tree snapped off about six fec
below the ledge. and went crashm,
down.