The Utah County Democrat. [volume] (Provo City, Utah) 1898-1909, 1908-09-22

youthful existence, whether Of mis-
chief or measles. that the whole neigh
borhood. including their respective
parents, made no distinction between
them. II Is true that the Engelharts
and the "Waterses" possessed sepa-
rate. though adjacent, homes but
4 "Dolph and Dicky" were present in.
differently at either OF the places at
meal and bed time, or were shrewdly
absent from both when work was to
be done. II Mrs. Engelhart ran out
OF "risin " and called for Dolph TO
run to the brewery at the other end
OF the town for "settln" OF "iug
yeast II was almost certain to hap
pen that both Dolph and the jug were
missing, gone of with Dioky Waters
on some extended expedition to the
helds. Or Is Mr. Waters beheld the
destruction wrought among his EARLY
Rose potatoes by the new pest, the
Colorado beetle, and came glowering
to the house for Dicks assistance In
"buggin' the vjnes"-a back.breaking
task. consisting in crushing the
beetles and their eggs between wood
en- paddles-he was sure to be
"riled' beyond even deacon's endur.
ance by the doubly exasperating news
that both Dicky and the paddles had
Joined Dolph and the jug in an outing
that promised to end only at dusk.
For Dolph and Dicky were invet-
crate bumblebee fighters. and the jug
and raddles were their only efficient
armament. With the former they bot.
tied the flying squadron OF their vel.
low-banded foes, and with the latter
they smashed" the stray guerrillas
Fastening home to the conflict The
boys cruised around a clover field,
poking at the fence corners. until
they discovered a nest of bumblebees.
Then they set the open jug, half
filled with water, foot or so in front
of the entrance. gave the nest Wig
orous thrust or two, and retired with
their paddles about rod away, to
look out for strays, and watch the
Infatuated home guards proceed to
bottle" themselves. according TO
the tactics long subsequently made IA.
nous by Spanish admiral
After the last efficient warrior had
been jagged, the boys proceeded to
| rife the nest
! Last of all, they poured out the
contents of the jug in sunshiny spot,
in order that the bedraggled bees
might revive and refill the looted nest,
to be riled again by the boys later in
the season. After one bee fortress
had been sacked in this systematic
fashion, Dick would go prospecting
for another, while Dolph made trip
for more water to the nearest stream
or farmhouse, usually a much great
e. distance than the hated journey
from his home to the brewery.
In this fashion they spent the long
summer day, returning at dark with
only an occasional sting upon which
their parents could logically base an
injunction upon the pastime.
But one morning Dicks father. who
so rarely threatened that Dick had
never dared to disobey him quietly
assured the bee.hunter that If the po
tato bugs did not receive their full
share of attention that day from him
and his paddles, the latter instru
ments would be turned against his
own person in a fashion that he
would long remember, so Dick went
to work with a dismal face, which
was soon lightened up, however, by
Dolphs appearance upon the scene
and his offer Of assistance.
For awhile II was pleasure &c
smash the hard-wlnged beetles ant
"squush" their soft-bodied progeny
now beginning to hatch from The
neglected eggs. but the potato rows
seemed endless, and the bending pos
ture OF the boys began to grow intol
cradle, so that Dlcky finally straight
ened up with the exclamation: "Oh
dad burn the blame bugs!"
Dolph. who only needed a sugges
ton to fire his inventive mind, re
sponded:
That's II, Dicky, wen do IT,"
do what?' asked Dick.
"Why. burn the bugs" said Dolph
Wen get our old wash-pan. half nj
II with coal oil, knock the bugs into Il
with our paddles, put in sawdust, anC
have a bonfire. 'Twon't be cruel
cause the oil will drown 'em sense
less, and they'll be burnt up befor,
they knows It. II they amt dead
it'll serve em right for playin' pos
sum" They had observed that the
potato bug when disturbed will draw
in his legs and remain for some time
motionless.
The new plan worked admirably
with four times the rapidity of the
old method. and in a short time
enough bugs had been collected t
form the first autoda-fe So dowr
they went to the Waters wood yarC
for combustibles. carrying the pan o
bugs and the oil can. Here they ofunC
sawdust in plenty but It was toe
dambto ignite, even when soaked with
kerosene. an the chips had long age
disappeared from the bare space
gathered by the boys themselves t
kindlo kitchen fires But In the corner
of the lot, by the board fence next Tho
alley, was rank growth Of catniI
and wild mustard which undoubtedly
hid many a splinter from the vigorous
AK of Mr.. Waters. Into this tangl,
the boys plunged together. and gu
of IL they came with simultaneous
but diverse. discoveries.
"Bumblebees" cried Dick, anC
Dolph held up a jug half-flled with I
liquid whore odor proclaimed I
whisky
Now. these events took place in th'