1886 



GLKAKINGS IN BfiE CtjLTUllE. 



m 



you have not mentioned— the bath is a stim- 

 ulant. Over and over again, when Saturday 

 night has come I have declared T was too 

 tired to move one foot after another, much 

 less take a batii. " But,"' says my wife, 

 '• you know a bath will rest you. Time and 

 again you have tried it."' It is true; and 

 when I get through 1 am ready to sit down 

 and read my agricultural papers, and visit 

 with the rest of the family, as if I had just 

 got up in the morning. 1 never knew it to 

 fail of making me feel rested and vig- 

 orous and strong. When a friend visits 

 us, and we wish to have him enjoy fully all 

 our home affords in the way of enjoyment, 

 we ask him if he would not like to "try our 

 steam bath-tub, and words of praise follow 

 at once ; in fact, it is so much liked that 

 sometimes one occupant follows another un- 

 til the '• machine" is kept going for quite a 

 spell. I firmly believe that a man or woman 

 will do more work, save money and doctors" 

 bills, and live longer, by having such a bath- 

 room as you describe, with every thing so 

 handy that bathing is a pastime "instead of 

 sometiiing to dread. And. friend Terry, es- 

 pecially do I like what you have to say in 

 the above paper iti regard to the "hired 

 man.'" May God help us to think of and 

 plan for the above individual a little more, 

 instead of finding so much fault with him ! 

 If he were provided with the conveniences 

 such as you describe, and asked to avail him- 

 self of tiiem, very likely we should find him 

 more accommodating, more cheerful, and 

 more inclined to look out for his master's 

 interests. I will willingly correspond with 

 the manufacturers of these tin lined copper 

 bath-tubs, and ascertain how low I can have 

 them if I buy a number at a time for our 

 bee-keeping friends. Ours cost $13.00. 



^K-*—- ^ 



ARTHUR'S BEES. 



A Story for Boys. 



BY MRS. C.iSTELLA WHITMAN. 



Jtp RTHUR was the eldest son of a farmer who 

 ^il^i lived in the southern part of one of the 

 J^k' Northern States, a few miles from one of 

 '*'^ the towns that dot the surrounding- country. 

 The origin of the following story lias for 

 its date July 4,188-. As Arthur and his brothers 

 had met with a great disappointment, their mother 

 was anxious to make them as happy, and home as 

 pleasant, as possible. Knowing that they were 

 extremely fond of strawberry shorteal<e, and that 

 a few yet remained, she suggested that, if they 

 could pick them for her, she would make one for 

 supper. 



While thus engaged, one of them remarked that 

 they must have disturbed a bumble-bees' nest, as 

 the buzzing- of hees attracted their attention. 

 Scarcely were the words spoken, when it was 

 evident whence the noise proceeded, for a swarm 

 of bees was parsing just over their heads. Ar- 

 thur gave chase, and followed them nearly half 

 a mile, across fields and over fences: then, coming 

 in contact with a tree, they clustered on one of its 

 lower branches. 



Arthur's mother had been informed by one of 

 the younger boys of what had transpired in the 



garden; and as he returned to her kitchen in so. 

 short a time, she supposed he had been obliged to 

 abandon the pursuit; but a<« her eyes rested on his 

 boyish face (which was usually pale, but now his 

 cheeks were all aglow, with great drops of sweat 

 on his forehead), she detected, before he recovered 

 breath sufficient to tell her, that he had met with 

 success. 



Previous to the opening of our story, Arthur had 

 often heard his mother propose to his father, that, 

 even if he thought he could not handle bees, as it 

 is termed, in any other way, he might have a large 

 old-fashioned hive made, and keep it in some loft, 

 so that they might at least have honey for their 

 family; but no pei-suasion could convince him that 

 he could take care of them in any form whatever. 



Perhaps the reader will readily imagine that 

 Arthur's mother had had some personal knowledge 

 of them. Such was the case; and from her earliest 

 rememberancc until she was quite a child, her 

 father kept them in the manner 1 have just alluded 

 to, and she had often assisted him in his work. 

 Fearing, however, that some accident ?7ii(/7if occur, 

 she was very cautious tiot to over-urge. 



To return to Arthur: After a short interview 

 with his mother, he hastened to the field where his 

 father was at work, and gave him a full account 

 of what had happened, wi'h an urgent request that 

 he should assist in securing them. After much 

 deliberation his father promised to see what could 

 be done, much to the gratiflcation of all. As sup- 

 per time had arrived, the meal was hastily eaten, 

 without any reference to the day. 



By this time Arthur had become more composed, 

 and thought best to go back to the spot where he 

 had left his bees, to see if they were really there, 

 and were as he had represented, while his father 

 should find something in which to hive them. 

 Nothing seemed available for immediate use, ex- 

 cept a salt-barrel, which was soon sawed in two 

 and made ready. 



Arthur's quick return was sufficient proof that 

 his bees were still there; and as soon as they were 

 as well equipped for such an emergency as could 

 be expected, they left the house, with the precau- 

 tions of the family still ringing in their ears. 



Success attended their efforts; and Arthur, upon 

 their return home gave his father many compli- 

 ments (in his boyish way) for his courage. " Why," 

 he said, "father even drew off his gloves, and act- 

 ually scraped the bees from the would-be hive, as, 

 in their haste, after tiiey once commenced enter- 

 ing it, many crawled up the sides." 



The next thing to be done was to select a place 

 suitable for them. Finally it was decided to place 

 them under a large apple-tree in the rear and a 

 little to one side of the house. As nothing more 

 could be done until dark, each one took his ac- 

 customed place at the chores, which at least every 

 farmer-boy knows better of what they consist 

 than T have room here to describe. In due time 

 father and sou had the satisfaction of seeing the 

 bees placed in their assigned quarters. That night, 

 as Arthur and his brothers were reviewing- the day, 

 they thought they had enjoyed it as much after 

 all as if they had been permitted to attend what 

 entertainments the town afforded. Their mother 

 here remarked, " My boys, you will seldom regret 

 it if you willingly obey that which your parents 

 think is for your good." 



Continued Dec. 15. 



