Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1910-11-11
When Plain6eld
Doomed
BY NJ QUAD
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright, 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

naDltantS OF the village OF Plainfield
had spoken of Simeon Jones as Simple
Simeon. He was an old bachelor and
lived alone. He had no opinions on
politics or religion; he made his living
by working for other folks by the
day and by raising crops on his two
acres Of land. When any one asked
why Simeon was simple the only rea-
son given was that he had once been
offered $500 for his place and refused
90 take Il
All of a sudden at a particular date
It was discovered that Plainfleld had
mineral spring. pirates cave and
hill from which an Indian maiden had
leaped to her death. Result--a boom;
result-the organization OF the Plain
feld Hotel and Land syndicate. 1t
purchased the crest Of Indian Maiden
hill one day and set about the erection
Of a summer hotel the NEXT OF course
property went up-all but Simple Sim
cons two acres. The land company
expected TO get that at the same old
price when it got around 10 make the
offer. The hotel land and Simple Sim
cons Joined for distance. When the
hotel was completed its southern We
randa was within ten feet of the line
In due time. which wes when the
syndicate got good and ready, 1t offer
ed Simple Simeon $500 for the land
He shook his head Then $500 was
offered. and when he refused it hs was
called an idiot. The hotel opened with
another boom. Among its first guests
were Professor Chiseihurst and q Mrs.
Ripton. He was naturalist and she
a poet. He was a bachelor and she a
widower. They took 70 each other.
One July day. when there were sixty
five guests In the hotel and the syndi-
cate was expecting every minute that
Simple Simeon would call and accept
their offer, that individual appeared in
front of the south veranda and erected
a rude bench. When he had finished
the job and departed the professor and
the poet descended the steps and sat
on the bench to coo. They thought
very kindly of Simple Simeon for put
ting 1t there. Next morning it was no
ticed that the bench was occupied by
sects could be seen flying in and out as
they earned their wages.
Professor Chiselhurst had been anx-
ious TO deliver lecture on natural his
tory. Here was his opportunity. He
offered the widow his arm. and the
couple walked down the steps and
over to the hives. The professor clear
ID kt col 10
had a cane in his hand and f1ourished
it as he talked. He stated that the
honeybee had been known for 10000
years. Egypt used to be fairly swim
ming in milk and honey until the trust
got in and raised the price.
The bee must not be mistaken for
the bumblebee. The latter was only
big loafer Of bee, content to sit on
the fence all summer and die of at the
coming of freezing weather.
And now. ladies' and gentlemen"
said the professor as he stepped back.
I'VE come to the hive itself. The bee
hive is an emblem Of industry"
Here the professor. carried away
with his enthusiasm. tapped on one of
the hives with his cane. The bees re-
spended nobly. They had been inter
rupted In their industry and now
poured forth to see what was up. The
FIRST half dozen lighted on the natu-
ralist, and as he began to execute
barn dance there was hearty applause
from the veranda. The next assert
ment hit the widow. and everybody
was prepared to applaud her when the
insects began to come thicker and to
look higher, and the circus began.
There were shrieks. yells. oaths and a
rush for shelter. but a bee can follow
where a human being can squeeze
through. They followed. They buzzed.
They were emblems Of industry as
we'll as the hives. Hardly a person in
the hotel, from manager down to dish
washer, escaped. 1t took half day
of smudging and smoking and using
brooms and busters to clear the house,
and the guests began to depart with
the bees. Inside Of two days the last
had vanished. The poetess and the
naturalist were among the last. and
she faced him with swollen eyes and
said
Professor. what fool you were to
rap on that beehive"
widow. what silly thing you were
to write a poem on bees!" he retorted
as be got his mouth open for the first
time for hours.
And meanwhile what about Simple
Simeon? Men had rushed to him and
threatened him. but the bees were his
and on his land. He did not propose
to remove them. and they did not go
until his two acres had been sold for
thousand dollars and the cash was
in his hand. He just grinned and
looked simple, and they hurried up to
give him his money. When the prop
erty was transferred and the indus
trious bees and their emblems I'D
been pitched into the pond the hotel