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AMERICAN BEE JOURNAL. 



time Ernest took hold, the subscription 

 list increased from five to ten thousand. 

 How much of the ability to control 

 within proper limits his natural inclina- 

 tion to hobby-riding comes from a bal- 

 ance-wheel inherited from his mother, I 

 cannot say. I am quite inclined to 

 credit that ability largely to the father. 

 With a matured judgment coming from 

 a wide experience, so long as it was 

 needed, he kept a close watch lest any 

 false step was taken, and very likely 

 Ernest was saved from coming to grief 

 more than once by Ijstening to the ad- 

 vice of his more experienced father. 



Being both independent thinkers, it is 

 hardly to be expected that the father 

 and son should always hold the same 

 views. Indeed, they are very far from 

 doing so. But to me it has always been 

 very interesting to notice the readiness 

 to concede on the part of each, and to 

 view with respect the opinions of the 

 other. Fortunately for the best use of 

 the position he holds, in any question 

 having an important bearing on the 

 general interests of bee-keepers, Ernest 

 never hesitates to seek counsel from 

 those on whose experience he can rely, 

 and in any important departure as to 

 the manufacture or use of appliances he 

 asks the opinions of a number whom he 

 considers experts, seconded by his im- 

 mediate cabinet of advisers — his father, 

 his brother-in-law, J. T. Calvert, and 

 the foreman of wood-work, J. S. Warner. 

 It is also fortunate that Ernest has 

 given up, or sent to the background, his 

 bent for invention. As an inventor his 

 field would be more limited. He oper- 

 ates in a wider field, and is always on 

 the lookout for improvements, come 

 they from what source they may, new 

 or old. And no pains are spared to get 

 at the truth of the matter, or to bring it 

 to public notice, if found worthy. Im- 

 mediately connected with an immense 

 manufacturing establishment. Gleanings 

 holds a position as leader in largely de- 

 ciding what shall and shall not be popu- 

 larly used among bee-keepers— a position 

 that it could not long hold if its leadings 

 were not always carefully made in the 

 direction of the best interests of all. 



I quote here from a sketch published 

 about two years ago in the Review, 

 written by the principal stenographer 

 and proof-reader in the office of Glean- 

 ings : 



" In manners, Ernest is very open and 

 friendly. In fact, one knows him about 

 as well after an hour's talk as he ever 

 will. But this friendly urbanity does 

 not prevent him from seeing the quack 

 and impostor in an instant, so he is sel- 



dom, if ever, imposed upon. He is ut- 

 terly destitute of selfishness ; and his 

 library, his camera, microscope, gun, or 

 whatever he has, is entirely for the 

 benefit of any who can be benefited 

 thereby. His picture shows phrenologi- 

 cally an even balance of temper, which 

 is well known to us here ; for it is just 

 as safe to ask a favor of him before din- 

 ner as after, which is not the case with 

 most men. 



" In speech, our junior editor is very 

 rapid, with frequent interruptions, or 

 going back to get a better word. In 

 this respect he is just the opposite of 

 his father, who seldom changes a word 

 in dictating even two pages of "Our 

 Homes," containing 3,000 words. A. 

 I. has all his editorials fully matured 

 and ready to put together, like the 

 stones in Solomon's temple, while Ernest 

 goes more on the cut-and-try plan. 



" But the best thing I can say about 

 Ernest is the unchanging attention 

 which he pays to his father and mother. 

 With him, nothing must stand in the 

 way of their convenience and pleasure." 



"In speech," the writer quoted above, 

 evidently refers to dictation for publi- 

 cation, for in convention, although per- 

 haps a little rapid, he is easily followed, 

 and I do not recall any hesitation or 

 going back for a better word. He is a 

 pleasant and easy conversationalist, 

 with a certain inquiring expression that 

 always suggests to me an interrogation 

 point — a never ceasing watch for what 

 may be new or true. 



I can hardly say as much for his writ- 

 ing as his speech. I have little faith in 

 the ability to read character from hand- 

 writing, and if I were called to pass a 

 night for the first time in a room with 

 Ernest, with no other knowledge of him 

 than seeing some of his hand-writing, I 

 surely would want to put my watch un- 

 der my pillow. Perhaps if I had the 

 privilege of a stenographer and a pho- 

 nograph, viy chirography might be no 

 better than his. 



The word in the German language 

 that means " earnest," is " ernst," and 

 changing the first letter to a capital it 

 becomes the proper name Ernst, which 

 in English is changed to Ernest ; so 

 there might seem something prophetic 

 in his christening, for if any one charac- 

 teristic stands out prominent in Ernest's 

 make-up, it is his intense earnestness. 

 I remember being quite amused at a 

 bee-keepers' convention at seeing him 

 carrying about with him a piece of a 

 frame, in which he was at that time 

 much interested, and wherever you saw 

 Ernest, there you saw that piece of stick 



