A QUEER "BUMBLEBEE" 



September 291/1 



HE following portion of a letter 

 from a Connecticut farmer, village 

 philosopher, oldest inhabitant, 

 weather prophet, and phonetic 

 expert, is reproduced by willing 

 permission, and is herewith an- 

 swered for the first time. It ac- 

 companied a package by mail con- 

 taining the specimen in question. 



'Mr. Gibson : 



"SiR, in the summer of wen you was bordin with me 



here at the farm you hed a gret laugh at me becuz I sed I seen a 

 bumble bee ketch a hoss-fly and eat him up. ... I haint fergot 

 how you tuk on about it and I recoleck thet you sed I better 

 make a note on't an swar to it before a notry cuz I wud never see 

 the like agen in mi born days, and you sed thet you wud give me 

 the first nine dollar bill you come acrost if I wud kill the critter 

 in the ack next time and thet you would give me a gold plated 

 goose-yoke and I dont kno what all and thet you wud give me a 

 two dollar bill fer every bumble bee I wud send ye with a hoss- 

 fly in his teeth. Likenuff you hev fergoten this last part but I 

 haint. I sed be you in arnest and you sed you was. So here I be 

 stickin to the letter on't and seein how ded sartin you was thet I 

 was coddin, I am glad to be even with ye. 



