1908 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



1211 



4 to 5 per cent; and you have a right to be su'^pi- 

 cious of anj'body who wants your money and 

 agrees to pay you much more thin the regular 

 legal rate. 



In the fore part of this paper I spoke of high- 

 way robbers; and in our large cities ^\e have pick- 

 pockets who seem to have as little scruple in rob- 

 bing women or a poor hard-working girl, perhaps 

 a schoolma'am, as they would in robbing a man; 

 and the writer of the letter that I have given is 

 doubtless well aware that there are men and ras- 

 cals who will resort to any hook or crook to get 

 their hard earnings it they can find any way to 

 do so. And let me say once more in closing, 

 there is no one thing that is so much needed just 

 now in this land of ours as some safe place pro- 

 vided by the government where every wage-earn- 

 er can easily and quickly deposit his savings, and 

 then just as easily and quickly get them back 

 again when wanted. Let us work and pray for 

 the speedy consummation of a postal savings 

 bank. 



TO HIM THAT OVERCOMETH. 



Brother A. I. Root: — You will kindly indulge me in a degree 

 of familiarity in addressing you, for in the years that I have had 

 the pleasure of reading the productions of your pencil you have 

 come to be more tnan a friend to me though you know it not. 



In your article lor July 15, Homes department, I wis not a 

 little interested in your relation of experience with the mother 

 hen — namely, the croppings of our own fallen nature not yet 

 fully overcome. "To him that overcometh will I grant to sit 

 with me in my throne, even as I also overcame and am set down 

 with my Father on his throne. — Rev. 3:21." 



The thought was so grand that I could not refrain from pencil- 

 ing it rignt now. The lesson from that faithful mother hen was 

 that my well-beloved brother had not yet quite overcome the 

 fallen nature in his conflict with one of the smallest and most 

 harmless creatures that God had created. 



Now, this is no indication that he is not one of God's chosen, 

 for he is — only he had not yet fully overcome. To have com- 

 pletely overcome is one of the most glorious achievements of a 

 redeemed soul. Try it, my brother; just let go and sweetly rest 

 in the arms of Jesus, and then you can smile at Satan's rage or 

 even the mother biddy that was so true to hei own mother 

 instinct formed within her by our own common Creator. 



Now, if I were to want a mother chicken I would give much 

 for this one, or a setting of her eggs, for she certainly is of royal 

 blood. 



Now, my brother, I know I am no better than you, nor do I 

 believe I am half as good: but to me it appears ' ccild not but 

 have caressed that little princess of a hen and grea:'/ adi lired her; 

 further, have cozily wrapped her within a sa, k or some; 'lir^ else 

 until I could have gathered her little group into her retreat and 

 then set her at liberty. But enough oi what 1 would have done. 

 Do you know the teachings of our Savior about love and mercy 

 are as applicable on our part to the lower animals, since there is 

 no appeal from our arbitrary rule over them, and therefore that, 

 when any of the animals rebel against us, they can not under- 

 stand God's law of love except by our example — "When thou 

 art reviled, revile not agiin".' Tnerefore, because of«our knowl- 

 edge of this law and of their ignorance it is binding on us and 

 not on them. 



I once saw an example which I shall never forget. I was 

 traveling in Iowa by private conveyance, and stopped over night 

 with a well-to-do farmer. Every thing was in good style and on 

 a rather large scale. Early in the morning 1 was up to visit with 

 him his estate. We wpnt directly to a large barnyard. In this 

 yard were all the domestic anima's, it appeared to me, that I had 

 ever seen in my life, and, stranger yet, they all huddled to- 

 gether, or were not separated, and yet were quiet and showed a 

 spirit of kindness that was universal with all. But the best of 

 all the show was when the owner opened the gate and entered 

 their midst. It was an appaient signal for a "love-feast," espe- 

 cially bv each animal toward its owner. The horses and young 

 colts, the cows and younger cattle, the pigs and sheep and poul- 

 try of every description — turkeys, geese, du ks, and chickens 

 vied with each other in getting within reach of him, or in 

 licking his hand or in hearing his kind voice of love. He moved 

 as quietly and caiefully as possible so as not to step on any 

 poultry which were young. As he proceeded to feed and care 

 for them he was especially easy to notice the tnist and love 

 between some of the colts or horses that excelled, apparently, a 

 passing circus. 



Now, if mankind were all filled with this spirit to the exclu- 

 sion of any others, what a change, since, by nature, especially 



among the domestic animals, this spirit of trust and obedience is 

 univt-rsal! lor God has so created them. If min, instead of his 

 fallen nature, could thus be filled with the spirit of out meek and 

 lowly Savior, how many vicious horses would we have I 



I had a favorite horse from her colthood, that was not of the 

 mildest diposition: but with me all through its life it is as 

 gentle and kind as a lamb. In my absence for a few days she 

 becomes imbued with the spirit of her driver. 



Had 1 not known you so intimately as it appeals to me I do in 

 reading every word of Our Homes I would not impose on you by 

 writing these lines; but remember that two months ago I had 

 the misfortune to have one of my legs so badly broken that I 

 shall probably never walk again except with crutches, and espe- 

 cially as my fourscore years are already numbered, and my gen- 

 eral health is also poor from indigestion; so you see I am several 

 years yonr senior. This is my apology for being so tedi us in 

 addressing you, besides my desire for cong-nial companionship. 

 While here in bed on my back I can write with my pencil, for 

 I can not stand nor sit at my desk. 



Lest I forget it, I wish to say that, a few moments ago, my 

 eye caught in our daily paper an item or two whiih I clipped and 

 will insert with this letter. I know you are acquainted with our 

 Dr. Chapman, who is always so successful in all of the good 

 works he undertakes. We fond'y hope he will succeed in this 

 also. The race-track is only about one mile from our home here 

 in Monrovia. 



I have often wished I might have met you in our boyhood, for I 

 believe we were near neighbors in those days. My birthplace 

 was at Chag'in Falls, in 1830, although I have lived in Portage 

 and Geauga counties. I was a successful bee-keeper in my boy- 

 hood in Bainbridge; but for only a brief time. My success 

 always followed me in after years. 



I want to tell you of a most wonderful pullet I had at my home 

 in my boyhood days. It was of a wild disposition, making ner 

 nest far away in the fo'est. She would hatch every egg, and 

 bring the chicks home when of quite good size. At home, how- 

 ever, she was as tame as the others. One of her most wonderful 

 exploits (which 1 saw) was her hot pursuit of a hawk that had 

 one of her chicks. Sh- was in close puisuit on the wing, high 

 in the heavens, still pu'suing when I lost sign of her and the 

 hawk. Like yours she was a "princess," and by me highly 

 respected. P. G. Cartter. 



Monrovia, Cal., July 22. 



Many thanks, dear brother, for pointing out to 

 me that beautiful and inspiring text from the 

 book of Revelation. Why, it fairly made my 

 heart bound when your letter called my attention 

 to that wonderful promise. Yes, it is indeed 

 true that, when we exercise self-control and over- 

 come a disposition of anger or impatience which 

 we happen to have toward even the dumb brutes, 

 we are preparing ourselves to sit down eventual- 

 ly with the great Father in his throne. It seems 

 almost too much to believe; but, dear friend, I 

 think you have got it, all right. It is a long 

 slow voyage that we are making in that trip from 

 earth to heaven; and the hills we have to climb 

 up, perhaps slowly and painfully, are right along 

 in the line of o^rrcomiug, as you describe it. 

 And this reminds me that I have had still another 

 experience with that sitting hen. I am not quite 

 ready yet to call her "princess," just as you do; 

 but perhaps you are right about it. 



Let me explain that I have had wonderful suc- 

 cess this summer in setting hens. Three, to 

 which were given thirteen eggs each, brought 

 ont twelve chickens each, and they all have twelve 

 apiece yet. Well, when the last one came off I 

 let her go off into the wet grass one morning 

 when they were only about three days old. She 

 came back with only eleven. I started off to 

 where she had been, with a feeling something 

 like that expressed in that old hymn entitled "The 

 Ninety and Nine." But I had to give it up till 

 I remembered that a little further, in that partic- 

 ular direction, there was that same "fighting 

 mother" with her half-grown chicks; and, sure 

 enough, I found that her clucking had misled 

 my one " lost sheep. " I found him on a little 

 rise of ground, chirping for his mother as loudly 

 as his little lungs would permit. Now, please 



