The Birmingham age-herald., 1919-12-06
MEN, WOMEN
 AND THINGS

Our English language is queer, but what a wonderful study know of few more interesting things than the study or the play on words I'll admit that I have never cared much for the mere punster, but word juggler fascinates me far more than an agile acrobat
 Sure. there are all kinds of bees. when you begin to take stock of them. The buzzing of the political bee in the head Of a politician is as nothing to the insistent hum of the society bee in the ear of the average social climber, but haven't tune to write about the foibles of the nouveau riche.
 The word "bee" in it's uses is a pure Americanism, being used in many quaint ways It dates back to frontier days, when the new settler who wished to raise the tinbers in his cabin called in his neihgoors to building bee" or a 'rais- ing bee" In like manner we find the phrases, "chopping bee,'' ''huskfng bee, and even the women, not to be outdone. turned the trick by having quilting bees" But I reckon the most popular form ot sport ever devised to enliven the dreary monotohy of the early communi- ties were the famous spelling bees" My, what an insight into colonial times the various bees" give us.
 
 There is an expression almost in daily use which pays 2 tribute to the fact that the busy bee goes about it's business with directness. We speak of making a bee line for home, which is but way of ex- pressing the shortest or most direct course from one place to another, like that of bee returning to the hive. Kane, in his Arctic Explorations" says; "We moved on like men in a dream. Our foot marks seen afterward- showed that we had steered bee line for the brig A bee line means a straight line.
 
 Where did the bee originate? l have seen tiie answer to this question passed up by a big encyclopedia, and therefore l am not going to commit myself any further than to say, while unknown. they probahiy began their flight somewhere in western Asia. I would like to be able to say China. for whe9ever you think you have found the origin of something in Europe along comes some wise guy and remarks that the Chinese discovered it.
 Nov. one very conservative authority hazards the statement that tie Apis nelli- flea. tae honey bee, has been in a state Of Characterization for at least 5000 years. suppose. taking this as a guide, l might safely prophecy that, given 5000 more years, the honey bee may possibly acquire the gentle art of sitting down without leaving sting, for all the bees coming unds~ my observation are all right as long as they are on the wing, but will hear watching when they alight. naturalist has a funny way of " writing about things in nature. If you can remember the Latin names you | can do more than I can. but if you can | it's so easy to get reputation for De- ing smart. It's like talking to an amateur gardener who refers to po- tato as a tuber It makes a mlghty imnression on the 7Ininitiated. Now, if YOU wish to pose as an authority or bees. speak of them as insects of the order Hymenoptera, and if that | fails to impress your victim you can just Set him down as one who knows it all.
 There are many superstitions about bees. MT. Loudon, in an old chron- icle. states that when he was in bed- 1 fordshire, England he was informed | of an old man who sang psalm in front of some hives which were not doing well. but which he felt would mend after his song, I looked through the Book of Psalms to find if there was any one which in any way re- | ferred to bees and was rewarded by discovering that in Psalm HIS and Verse 12 the psalmist says They compa me about like bees But couldn't make any connection be- tween it and the old mans curious ceremony.
 Again it is stated that at Norfolk i England, at places where bees are kept, it is an indispensable ceremony I in case of the death of any of the family, to put the bees in mourning
 for fear that if it was left undone they would all die have heard many curious mourning customs, but this of l hanging piece of black cloth to each of the hives. I think. beats them all. have never understood the etiquette of mourning for men and we men, for it varies in different countries, but to hang crepe on beehives seems to me about the limit of absurdity.
 Now in the neighborhood, of Coventry they do not resort to psalm singing to keep the bees. from dying. They do l not put the hives in mourning, but in the event of death in the family it is l considered necessary to inform the bees .of the misfortune or they will 1 dwindle away with grief. The manner of communicating the intelligence to 1 the beeyards is observed with due re- l gard to custom. The key of the house is taken, and going to the hives three knocks are given.
 saw an account written by an Eng listman who stated that poor old widow once complained to him that all 1 her stock of bees had died, and on n- l o,ir;pe, tl,e callse was told that on the