The Ocala evening star. [volume] (Ocala, Fla.) 1895-1943, 1910-08-12
When Plain6eld
Doomed
D. A. NIlAn
BY NJ QUAD
Copyright. 1910. by Associated Lit
erary Press.

For years and years the other in
habitants 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; be 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
to take it.
All OF a sudden at a particular date
It was discovered that Plainfield had a
mineral spring. pirates cave and a
hill from which an Indian maiden had
leaped to her death. Result-a boom:
result-the organization Of the Plain
field Hotel and Land syndicate. l,
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 to make the
OASA. Nc 0oISA SoAO oAA0 SSAAAPAS
cons joined for a distance. When the
hotel was completed its southern We
randa was within ten feet of the line.
In due time. which was 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 he was
called an idiot. The hotel opened with
another boom. Among its 6rst guests
were Professor Chiselhurst and Mrs.
Ripton. He was q naturalist and she
q poet. He was a bachelor and she a
widower. They took to each other.
One July day. when there were sixty
i've 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
q 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 It there. Next morning It was no
ticed that the bench was occupied by
SwO OSSu4VCSs 0AO 1AS 4A1ANOSA AOuO Az
sects could be seen Tying In and out as
they earned their wages.
Professor Chiselhurst had been anx-
ious to deliver a 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
ed his throat and began to talk. He
had a cane in his hand and dourished
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 a bee. content to sit on
the fence all summer and die off at the
coming of freezing weather.
And now. ladies and gentlemen"
said the professor as he stepped back.
1--WE 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-
sponded 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 a
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
well 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 a fool you were to
rap on that beehive!'
widow. what silly thing you were
to write q 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
70 remove them. and they did not go
| until his two acres had been sold for
| a 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
orry was transferred and the indus