The West Virginian. [volume] (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1914-1974, 1920-01-14

IN M THOMAS ALLERTONs AUTO
M 'obiiie, containing, besides &c, .1e him. him
ton; his daughter, Wilifred, and his
son, Tom. Jr., was, in the vernacular
of west Texas, "bogged down" hope
lessly in a lane running past queer
little stone house.
Wilifred must of necessity see what
y sort OF person lived there, SO she set
off down the lane into the yard. A
most curious sight met her. A swarm
of bees seemed to be trying to get In
the window, and bees were roaming
wild all ever the premises. She gave a
scream Of digmay, which brought a
man from behind the house. She was
amazed at the bees, but more amazed
at the man. He was honey from top to
toe and bees were swarming all over
him.
He paid no attention to the bees
except to catch them by the wings, If
they CHANGED to light on his bare
hands, and holding them aloft gently
would let them loose to fly away. His
big fat collie apparently had taken
refuge from the bees. behind screen
set up before an overturned box, and
did not come out even to speak to the
stranger.
eMy goodness gracious!" screamed
Wnifred, lodging a stray bee, you'll
surely get stung."
oh, yes, probably, but not enough
to hurt. They really aren't paying
much attention to me. They're some
what nervous. I've been robbing them
today" said the bee-man, nonchal-
antly. Then "Is there anything l can
do for your
.'But Just look at them! should
say they are nervous! Why, they are
trying to get inside your house. Look
at that window ledge! A whole swarm
of them trying to get inside. They'll
take your house and You'll never get
inside of 1t again." cried Wilifred,
aghast.
yes, but they did that long time
ago. They seemed to want to live
there even more than did, so just
let them take one SIDE" said the bee
man.
But don't they sting you?" insist
ed vyh!ffed.
mo, we get along most amicably.
fixed up a glass compartment for
them, and we live in peace and har-
mony-"
"ohi"l gasped Wilifred. Then, Of
course. there isn't anybody here but
you-no woman"
"No, no woman" and he looked
wistfully across the desert plain as
though hoping she were coming.
"Of course" Wilifred fastened to
say, "a woman would be afraid OF the
bees"
And a bit afraid of me and the de-
sert-so she did not come in the first
place. Perhaps she was right"
oh" murmured Wilifred sympa-
sthetically, pardon rue. didn't mean
to-to-pry..'
You didn't. You simply caught me
rather unawares. l think I told you
because wanted to. Old bachelors
get SO lonesome that they are gar
rulous on slight provacations now and
then. And II you will not mind my
saying it, it was because l fancied a
resemblance in you to that woman
who feared to trust me and the desert
here with her future. AS l said be-
fore, perhaps she was right. AT any
rate blame her less and less as the
years roll by. But" changing again
to his matter-of-fact manner, you
q have not told me whether there is
anything l could do for you"
oh, yes" laughed Wilifred. "or
rather no. guess not. We went into
q chuckhole and the men are digging
Attic machine out, SO came exploring.
And j am so much more interested in
the bees and the honey than digging
comomn thing"
Have you ever tasted any of the
valley honey? was going to say
catclaw honey, but as you are a ten
derfoot you'd hardly know the term.
Let me go inside and get some for
You. ~
returning, he handed her upon a
wooden plate most delicious cake
Of honey just cut from the frame and
It was "keeding" its liquid sweetness
in little; orange oolored rivuets into
the dish.
rHow, perfectly scrumptious!
umrm. my! 1'n go back and share 1t
with the fam, and then as we come by,
they shall tell you how much it ad-
ded to our lunch, for we have not eat
en- 1t yet" She turned to go.
Perhaps Id better get the horses
readyp for we sometimes have to pull
people out of these holes" sugges ID
the bee man.
well, what have you there, Mrs.
christopher Columbus?" asked her
aunt as Wilifred approached her
aunt's perch at the side of the road,
fbubbhng over with delight at her
acquisition.
HohtIlub doWA USSiue uer WllIITRu
proceeded to tell her all about it.
Sweetest man on Gods green earth,
auntie. He was honey from the crown
of his hat to the soles of his shoes.
Fact! You'd be crazy about him.
guess the girl that he was going to
marry stung him so hard that he tooA
up bees as counter irritant What's
the matter, aunties?" For her aunt
gasped, turned white, eprang to her
feet, looking from left to right in DIS
may, as though she must nee-but
where to? For the bee man was COM
ing a few roads away leading his
horses. He stopped for fleeing mo-
ment as II he, too, had seen ghost,
then taking of his hat he said:
"Ah, so that explains the resemb-
lance! Your daughtef, suppose, Mrs.
Mrs"
NO" faltered Aunt Charlotte: cts
my niece, Toms daughter. That's Tom
over there"