440 TENANTS OF AN OLD FARM. 



that the great Egyptian edifices were begun at the 

 summit and builded downward. Whether the notion 

 were broached by a savant, a hobbyist or a crank, I do 

 not remember, but it surely has a modern advocate 

 somewhere." 



Here Sarah ventured an observation : 



" I don't wonder at sich a pesterin' inseck as a 

 hornet buildin' its house top eend fust, or any otlier 

 cont7-ary way. Fer my part I don't want em buildin' 

 round me nohow ! It's certain bad luck to have 'em 

 make ther pesky nests in one's house, an' foret.'lls 

 that the family '11 be sure to come to want. I'd jest 

 like to have the hull lot here in one good bunch ; I'd 

 chuck 'em into the stove and be done with 'em !" 



"Hi, Sary Ann, dat's no good!" exclaimed Dan, 

 whose tongue was unloosed by the remarks of his 

 kitchen familiar; "Dat's no good at all. Hit's no 

 sort of conjurin' to kill do common brood wen dey's 

 growed up. But dar's a powerful difference wen it 

 conies to the fust wasp ol) dc season. Hit's mighty 

 good liick to kill dat un, I kin tell ye." 



"Well, then, tell us, won't you," responded Sarah, 

 with some tartness ; " there hain't no wisdom sittin' 

 thora-rollin uvyourhcad an' turnin' upyour oye-balls." 



"Sary Ann," answered Dan, "dar's folkses wat has 

 waspish tempera and a hornet's stinger fer a tongue — 

 but dat's needer hyur nor dar. Wat I saze is dat hit's 

 good luck to kill de fust wasp ob de season, kazc it 

 foretells freedom from all enemies fer dat year, shore. 

 Dat's all !" 



