Year: 1879

people in the great and intelligent coun-
ty of Augusta land the people most re-
, fiected on are the girls, for they are sup


posed to read all the poetry to be or
} dered up and reprimanded by another


girl simply because we don't fill the
SPECTATOR with praise of her particular


pet. l have come up to the deferce OF


the many readers of the SPECTATOR;


and after all, it is but fair to critlcise


any poet when he comes into the public


prints, and especially is il justified when


q friend or admirer of that poet rushes
unprOvoked into the field to force him


into the popular esteem, and to enroll
him with Tennyson-the old original


rennyson-and the other lights of glo-


rious effulgence. 1t is quite terrible, L


know, Mr.. Editor, for so many country
girls to get into wrangle over litera-


ture and literary merit, but women,
you know, are always prone to write on


subjects that they know least about,
and if you become victim to this we eak-


ness of ours, why we are sorry for you.


To change the subject suddenly, it is
rumored that at our next annual fair
competitive exhibition of horseman-
ship will be introduced as new feature.


1 think this will be perfectly glorious.
Many of us who are on the veterans list
buc 1NOtuuud anu WIZ
have reached the summit of female ambi-
ton in the way of embroidery and orna-
mental pastry, desire to display our
proves on the track. We do hope that
the Directors will consider the project
favorably, and thereby give the daugh-
ters of Augusta chance to show their
accomplishments in the skillful naendge
of spirited horses, as well as the Lords
of creation who go whipping and tear
ing around the track in skeleton bug
gies, sulkies, and all that sort Of thing.
We don't ask for hurdle race or any
startling performances, but as the daugh-
ters, younger sisters and nieces OF the
members of the famous old first Vir-
ginia Regiment of Calvary, we would
like to prove our worthiness and our
kinship. We hope that this suggestion
will bring others from the ladies of the
country, and that special zeal on this
subject will be awakened among our sex
in regBrd to the next fair.


"MoLLIE.n


VALLEY VIEW, Augusta Co., Va.


~~WHY BEES WORK IN THE DARK
A life time may be spent in investigat-
ing the mysteries hidden in the bee hive
and still half Of the secrets would
be undiscovered. The conformation of
the cells has long been a celebrated
problem for the mathematician, whilst
the changes which the honey UNDER
goes offer at least an equal interest to
the chemist. Every one knows what
honey fresh from the comb is like. 1t
is clear, yellow syrup, without trace
Of solid sugar in it. Upon straining,
however, it gradually assumes chrys.
taline appearance--it candies, as the
saying is, and ultimately becomes solid
mass of sugar.


1t has not been suspected that this
change was due to Photographic ac-
ton that the same agent which alters
the molecular arrangement of the iodine
Of silver on the excited cullodian plate,
and determines the formation of cam
pber and iodine crystals in bottle,
causes the syrup honey to assume q
chrystaline form. This, however, is
the case. Mgr. Schelber has enclosed
honey in TASKS, some of which he
has kept ia perfect darkness, while
others have been exposed to the
light. The invariable result has been
that the summed portion rapidly crystal
Ized, whilst that kept in the dark re.
manned perfectly liquid.


We now see why bees are so careful
10 obscure the glass windows which are
sometimes placed in their hives The
existence of their young depends Oh the
iquidity of the saccharine food pre-
sented to them, and if light were al
owed access to this, the syrup would
gradually acquire more or less solid
it would seal up the cell,
and in all probability prove false to the
inmates of the hive.