822 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Nov. 15. 



'*f 



WHEN the 

 river c o m - 

 menced torise, 

 there was 

 anxiety in 

 every locality 

 protected b y 

 the levees. 

 The levee 

 bel ow Mr. 

 Buell's protected thousands of acres of land 

 from overflow. The water had reached the 

 danger-point, and Mr. Buell and several in- 

 terested neighbors had been up all night pa- 

 trolling the levee, filling depressions and giv- 

 ing needed strength to the weak places. 



The continued floods were, however, too 

 much for the puny efforts of man, and near 

 morning the levee went out with a roar, and 

 much of the water on that side of the river was 

 diverted into the new channel. 



When the levee gave way Mr. Buell and the 

 men went into the district liable to overflow, to 

 save such animals as might still be lingering 

 there. All manner of debris was now floating 

 more leisurely, while the water was seeking 

 new channels. Gimp called Mr. Buell's atten- 

 tion to several bee-hives floating by. 



"Those are aurely much like Fred's hives," 

 said Mr. Buell. "But, dear me! it would be 

 impossible for the river to rise to such a height 

 as to wash them off that chalk butte." 



Mr. Buell's cogitations were here interrupted 

 by shouts. Alfaretta had gotten out early in 

 the morning, as was her habit, and now came 

 running along the shoal water, shouting and 

 gesticulating. She soon came up to Mr. Buell, 

 and, grasping his arm frantically, and pointing 

 out into the water, exclaimed, "Our Fred! our 

 Fred !" 



Gimp had comprehended the situation -before 

 Mr. Buell, and, regardless of the floating ob- 

 stacles, plunged into the water and made for a 

 large object some distance out in the current. 



Fortunately the water was not deep here, 

 and, after an heroic effort, he brought to shore 

 the raft. Alfaretta, Mr. Buell, and others who 

 had been attracted to the spot, saw the limp 

 form of Fred Anderson covered with mud, and 

 apparently lifeless. His feet were so entangled 

 in the bent and broken cross-pieces of the 

 work-bench raft that it was some delay to dis- 

 entangle them; but when released and laid on 



'ST^i iiyMt^lM- 



shore, Mr. Buell made examination and found 

 a flutter of life. The unconscious Fred was 

 carried to the house, and a further examination 

 revealed a contusion on the head; "and," said 

 Mr. Buell, in evident surprise, "it is at the very 

 same spot on the head where Alfaretta was 

 hurt." 



The country was so flooded that no medical 

 aid could be secured, and Mr. and Mrs. Buell 

 applied restoratives, and cared for Fred with 

 the skill that their experience had given them. 



Alfaretta was a constant attendant and an 

 indispensable help in applying cooling solutions 

 to the head. Gimp was also an anxiuos watcher 

 and ever ready helper; but all day the stupor 

 continued. 



"His condition," said Mr. Buell, "is much 

 like Alfaretta's — the contusion and now the 

 long stupor." 



" Yes," replied Mrs. Buell, " and I am anxious 

 for his waking. And, oh!" said she, clasping 

 her hands, " what if — " 



" My dear," interrupted Mr. Buell, do not 

 borrow trouble; it surely comes fast enough 

 without looking ahead for it. There will be a 

 change soon, and we do hope for the best." 



It was near morning, or about twenty-four 

 hours from the time of the accident, that Fred 

 began to show signs of consciousness. After 

 several restive moments he opened his eyes, 

 stared wildly, clutching the bed-clothing. Mr. 

 and Mrs. Buell both spoke soothing words to 

 him; but his vision was beyond them; he was 

 living over again the wild ride on the tur- 

 bulent river. Trying to rise, he shouted, in a 

 husky, intense voice, "Matt Hogan! O Matt 

 Hogan! come back! come back! Away, black 

 fiend Dawson; your slimy hands away! help! 

 help! O good angels! help— away! The fiend 

 has clutched him. O Matt! dear Matt! lost, 

 lost!" and with the severe exertion he fell back 

 to his pillow with an incoherent laugh, and into 

 unconsciousness. 



"Sure, sure, this is terrible," said Mr. Buell. 

 " Matt Hogan must have been upon the raft 

 with him, and is lost." 



"There can be no other interpretation to his 

 words, though uttered in delirium," said Mrs. 

 Buell. " It is terrible — terrible." 



"It is certainly terrible," said Alfaretta; 

 "but how much more terrible it would have 

 been had we lost our Fred!" 



It was again several hours before Fred show- 



