432 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



June 1. 



knew, would anger them; but to use the term 

 would be an insult to the brute-creation; so he 

 merely said, in a sarcastic tone, "Miners, why 

 should a little whisky stand between our friend- 

 ship? " and, taking the demijohn, he held it a 

 moment in hand, while the crowd jeeringly 

 shouted, "Hoorray for Gid!" " Hoorray for 

 the tenderfoot!" Another sang, "Brave boys 

 were they; they went at their country's call." 



"Now, miners," said Fred, "when you see 

 me swallow this whisky you may know that I 

 have given up my temperance principles, but 

 at the same time, I wish to use it in a way that 

 will be a benefit to all;" and, raising the demi- 

 john, he said, "Here's to the good old temper- 

 ance cause, and to the confusion of drunkards." 



With the latter words he hurled the demi- 

 john toward an iron capstan, not ten feet 

 away, where it was dashed into a thousand 

 fragments, and the liquor went through the 

 scuppers of the boat with a slush, and mingled 

 with the waters of the river. 



With the hurling of the demijohn, Fred 

 sprang quickly upon the taffrail and made a 

 vigorous leap. A moment later there was a 

 splash, and a figure stuggling in the water. 

 He had calculated his leap well. He noted 

 that the boat would swing in shore at this 

 place; and from where he went into the water 

 it was only a few yards to shoal water. 



Fred's sudden and unexpected movement dis- 

 concerted the drunken crowd; and before they 

 could collect their bef uzzled senses the boat had 

 passed rapidly along, and the stern swung in 

 on the river bend. The big rear paddJe-wheel 

 came so near to Fred that the water was dash- 

 ed violently against him, and he was soon left 

 in the rear of the boat. 



The imprecations of the miners were loud, 

 and their reckless anger vented itself in a few 

 harmless shots from revolvers. They imme- 

 diately realized that the temperance youth had 

 worsted them. He had stood firmly by his 

 temperance principles, and had put the con- 

 tents of the demijohn where they would do no 

 more harm. 



EYed was a good swimmer, and even the Im- 

 pediments of clothing would not have troubled 

 him; but the violent dash of water nearly stun- 

 ned him, and his motions were somewhat wild 

 while striving to keep his head above water. 

 The steamer soon rounded the next bend, and 

 was out of sight, apparently not caring wheth- 

 er their late passenger found the shore or the 

 bottom of the river. 



While Fred was manfully striving to gain the 

 few feet now separating him from the shore, a 

 young woman came running along the river- 

 bank. In her hand she carried a long and 

 slender fish-pole. When she had gained a 

 vantage-point she thrust the pole toward Fred. 

 He quickly grasped ii,; and, though the aid was 

 so slight, a gentle pull enabled the young 



woman to land the largest specimen of river 

 product she had ever angled for. 



When Fred gained solid ground he was so 

 far exhausted that he could not express even 

 thanks to his deliverer; but from the moment 

 when he first recognized her object he had an 

 idea that an angel was rescuing him; for to his 

 eyes, he never saw a young lady so graceful, 

 beautiful, and fair; and the fish-pole that had 

 been thrust to his aid was a veritable cupid's 

 dart, and had left a wound that would never 

 heal. 



When Fred secured a restful position he 

 noted that his deliverer had kept up a running 

 talk to herself in an undertone; and now she 

 laughed (wildly he thought), and said, "How 

 do you do, Mr. Pickerel? ha, ha! Pickerel for 

 dinner. Pickerel from my sister the mermaid." 

 Then she sang: 



The night is stormy and dark, 

 My lover is on the sea; 

 I Let me to the night winds hark. 

 And hear what they say to me. 



Fred thought it theloveliestvoicehehad ever 

 heard; and if he was indeed her lover, how 

 appropriate! But again she shouted, "Well, 

 Mr. Pickerel, do you feel like getting along to 

 the palace? There, don't say any thing, Mr. 

 Pickerel. You'll break the charm, and I'll fly 

 away. In my palace we'll have dinner soon — 

 mud-hen, turtle soup, or periwinkles— ha, ha! 

 mud hen!" she shouted. Then coming close 

 to him she tried to be menacing, and said, 

 " We'll eat Mr. Pickerel. See my teeth;" and 

 a grimace followed that gave Fred a chill; but 

 at the same time he thought the teeth the 

 most beautiful he had ever seen. Her mood 

 changed again suddenly, and she sang about 

 her lover on the sea. Then seeing a reflection 

 of her own lovely features in the water she 

 talked to it as though it were a veritable fairy. 



A painful thought evidently came to Fred; 

 a troubled expression contracted the muscles of 

 his face; he passed his hand across his fore- 

 head, and exclaimed, in a half-audible tone, 

 "Great Heavens! she's crazy." 



"Don't talk," she said, putting her shapely 

 hand up deprecatingly; "you'd scare away my 

 fairy sister." 



There was now a sound of footsteps beyond 

 the bushes, and a voice shouted, •' Alfaretta!" 



Fred's angel sprang up the river -bank as 

 nimbly as a fairy, and answered the call with a 

 " Hurrah, papa! I've caught Mr. Pickerel." 



"Pickerel!" said the voice; and a middle- 

 aged man of pleasing and professional appear- 

 ance stepped through the bushes." 



"Papa, here's Mr. Pickerel. I caught him; 

 let's fry him for dinner. See my teeth, Mr. 

 Pickerel;" and Fred saw that beautiful array 

 of teeih again, and the accompanying grimace. 



The man smiled sadly; and, seeing the plight 

 Fred was in, he became kindly solicitous. 



