The Democratic banner. (Mt. Vernon, Ohio) 1898-192?, 1913-02-28
Bees and Bars
By M. QUAD
Copyright. 1919. by Associated Lit
erary Press.
By N. QUAD

tdIHS one hutumu eNeuuB dS Hat NC
fore the big fireplace in Zeb Whites
cabin, I asked him for story Of the
mountains. lie was silent for awhile.
and then he laughed In shamefaced
way and said:
Its story agin myself"
THAT'S all right"
1T happened long time ago"
ut wiA be just as good"
"Waal." be started in, zone Sunday
mawnin' arter breakfast the old wo.
man looks at me sorter queer and
says:
"'Zeb. you know thar's camp meet
in gwins on over at Smokers grove
"'Mebbe dO,' says ].
""rhey are havln' powerful time
tear.'
'"Glad on It.
"'Zeb, we'll take walk over TO that
camp meetin' as soon as git the dishes
washed up. aud we won't come back
home till night
\ LIT would be time throwed away
but we's gwine right along jest the
same. she says.
1T was Jest the season to watch wild
bees and line 'em to tree" explained
Zeb. "and igered on putin In the
day ut that. I told the old woman 80
and asked her to 60 on alone. and she
turned on me with:
"'Zeb White. II 20 reckon to cheat
the IAwd and come out all right yo'll
git left! Nobody ever did It in all this
world. II yo' steal his day sunthin
will shorely happen to yo'.'
"'But we want honey in the fall.
don't weT says !.
what's the good Of honey II 20
lose yO'r soulr
"'Nobody's gwine to lose his soul ON
account Of huntin' up bee tree
"'Mebbe not. Mebbe he'll Jest break
his neck or leg or wildcats will claw
him up or the bars roll him about.
The Bible tells about the fate Of the
stiff necked and obstinate. but yo'
won't heed 1t. Jest go right along arter
yO'r wild honey, Zeb white, and I'll
20 to the camp meetin' by myself. !
reckon YOU find out the power Of
Providence befO' sundOwn.'
"She went away without another
word 10 me, and fur half an hour
was good mind to fOller on. didn't
feel right about 1t tall, and my old
dawg skunk away from me as II he
was ashamed Of his master. didn't
want to give In. however, and bimeby
shet the doah and strolled on to look
fur bees. l was maxim fur q place
about two miles away, but bef0' ]
reached It stopped to look at big
chestnut tree with holler In It. That
h0ller was big nun fur TO- men to
stand In, and was was lO0kin' In and
wOnderin' why had never seen the
tree befo' when ! heard sunthin' NOV.
in behind me. wheeled about, and
thar was a whOppin' big bar sneakin
up on me. could tell by the looks Of
his eye that he meant bixness. and 1t
was no use TO try TO bluff him. One
jump carried me into the h0ller, and
he rushed aud Jest missed me. l had
no gun, but did have my knife along.
and when the bar tried to foller me
Into the tree slashed him TO- or five
times. He was 10 fool. He seen
had the advantage, and he jest backed
or and sot down to wait. kept purity
quiet fur un hour, thinkin he'd git dis
courared and go away, but he had 9TH
or plans on hand, When ! stuck my
head ont and waved my arms and yell
ed at him he grOwled few times, but
he didn't come foot higher.
ut was plain that was In bad
way" continued the old hunter. "but
I didn't see what could do about Il.
! was In the hOller. and the bar was
outside. and thar was no show far me
to come out until he went away. II
cum sund0wn. and II cum night, and
he was still thar. saw was In fur
all night, and I went to sleep. woke
up once and saw his eyes shinin'. but
he let me alone. woke soon arter
daylight and he was still thar. Not t0
worry YOU with perticklers, ! passed
two nights and two days and half In
that tree. and nt last I'd hev given my
left arm fur drink Of spring water
10 say nothin' about my hunger. was
no longer match fur the bar. ! was
weak and highty. and he'd hev big
advantage over me. However, ] was
tryln' to work up my courage to crawl
out and do the best and hev It owe,
with when Abe Holden. who was look
In fur ILLS lost mewl, cum that way
and the varmInt made q sneak. Ny
voice wasn't much stronger than q
baby's. but ! managed to make Abt
hear. and he pulled me out and helped
me home, The old vsman sse - th<
dOorstep singin' . bynna, and a. 'ws
cum up shs looks at Abe and sAys:,
"Good evenin'. Nj. Holden. Hin.
take II that yo'r old woman 10 psartr
"'Falrly peart. fairly peart, Mrs
white he replied.
"'And y0' pear to bsv . styanEss
with you.' she g0es on.
"'NO. ma'am. It's Zeb. yo'r old man.
"lndeeti! The last saw Of my ol(
man he wns Ewlne out to 6nd bsss
i