1899 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



539 



most men, or at least anybody who has any 

 •sort of right to be called a man, would give 

 his life in a minute to protect and defend a 

 little girl, yet (God knows I hate to say it) 

 these very little girls — } es, even in Ohio — have 

 in recent times been assailed by wretches in 

 liuman form when no one was near to protect 

 them. If for no other reason in the world I 

 would banish saloons from our land, to pro- 

 tect these children from human fiends or 

 ■drunken fathers. Yes, drunken fathers have 

 struck down innocent children like this one 

 when they had committed no fault at all, and 

 just because the father had permitted the Dev- 

 il to take possession of him. The thought of 

 that pure bright childish face has followed 

 me, and follows me still. It is only a type of 

 "thousands like it in our land, needing the pro- 

 tection, not only of the mothers, but of all 

 good men. These children are as pure as the 

 sunlight. They are soon to grow up and bear 

 the burdens and cares common to motherhood. 

 Shall they be struck down and trampled under 

 foot when they are doing the very best they 

 know how? when they are giving all their 

 feeble strength and last drop of blood to de- 

 Jend the home and children ? Shall these 

 mothers be persecuted and brought down to 

 an untimely grave just ta enable brewers and 

 liquor-sellers to make money out of their hor- 

 rible business ? 



I expected to make Wooster before sun- 

 down. When I reached Smithville the sun 

 was not very high, and I was somewhat tired 

 of riding over the hills. I passed a pretty lit- 

 tle church, and dozens of boys and girls neat- 

 ly clad were passing in and out. One of the 

 children told me the occasion of it was they 

 were going to practice that evening for chil- 

 dren's day. As I looked over the groups, dif- 

 ferently dressed, and with different expres- 

 sions on their faces, it made me think of the 

 flowers once more. 



I decided to stay at the hotel over night. 

 As it was past the time for my afternoon nap 

 I planned to take my sleep first and then at- 

 tend the children's rehearsal, for they told me 

 visitors were admitted. I was shown to a very 

 dainty pretty bedroom. It was not expensive- 

 ly fixed up, but every thing was neat and 

 clean. I told the landlord I had been to sup- 

 per, and simply wished to pay for lodging, as 

 I wanted to resume my journey by daybreak. 

 When he said it would be only 25 cents, I 

 ventured to tell him that was not enough for 

 such a nice clean room But he smiled as he 

 said that was the regular price, and that he 

 preferred not to take any more. I told him I 

 would remember him when I came that way 

 again. 



By the way, friends, did you ever think of the 

 comforts that are scattered all over our land? 

 Here am I, a stranger, away from home. For 

 this small sum this room is mine for 24 hours 

 if I wanted it so long. I can do just what I 

 please with it as much as if I owned it. I 

 thought of this as I pushed the sash up to the 

 top of the window, and parted the curtains so 

 the breeze could get in a little more freely and 

 out of the open door. That children's day 

 gathering made me feel nobody in that town 



would try to steal any thing while I was 

 asleep, even if the doors and windows were 

 all wide open. Then I wheeled the bed so my 

 face was right before the open window ; and, 

 oh what a delicious sleep I had whil;- the cool 

 breeze coursed freely over my tired self ! Of 

 course, I had a gO( d wash before l}ing down, 

 with pure soft water out of a clean pitcher, 

 and a nice clean soft towel. Oh, yes ! I know 

 we do not always find every thing like this at 

 every country hotel ; but at this time I not 

 only thanked the landlord, but I thanked God 

 for these thinjjs that add so much to our com- 

 fort and enjoyment. 



When I awoke, the sun was down and it was 

 dark. I wanted a drink of hot water, as I al- 

 ways do after a wheelride. Now, if I troubled 

 the people at the hotel to get it for me it 

 would make them quite a little trouble, and 

 they would not take any pav for it either. I 

 knew by former experience. So I went out into 

 the street and walked down toward the iittle 

 church. Pretty soon I saw a bakery with " Hot 

 CofFee " on the sign over the door. I asked 

 the woman in charge if she could give me a 

 cup of weak tea. She said she could if I would 

 wait until she made it on a gasoline-stove. I 

 told her I was in no hurry, only I wished to 

 go over to the church before the rehearsal 

 was over. In a little time she brought a cup 

 of tea. The cup was not quite full. She ex- 

 plained that, as I was in a hurrv, she would 

 bring half a cup at once, and the other half 

 by the time I needed it. So I sipped it with 

 my spoon, and finally told her she need not 

 make any more, for that was all I needed. 

 When I asked how much for her trouble she 

 said she did not exactly know, so I gave her a 

 dime ; and when she started to get the change 

 I told her that no change was needed — it was 

 worth all that to start a fire for one cup of tea ; 

 but she replied, "Oh, dear! no. Five cents 

 is mj' regular charge for a/uH cup of tea, and 

 you had only half a cup. I don't think I 

 ought to charge you quite five cents." At 

 this I had a good laugh, and finally persuaded 

 her to keep the whole of the five cents ; but 

 she would not take a cent more. 



Now, friends, I have been telling you two 

 little simple incidents, and perhaps you may 

 wonder why I mention them at all. I have 

 taken piins to tell them in detail to show you 

 there are thousands of people, in the common 

 walks of life, at least, who do really hunger 

 and thirst after righteousness. I believe they 

 really zvaiit to do as Jesus would do. This 

 spirit is common among the women-folks and 

 the children, if not so common among the 

 men, and may God be praised for it. The 

 majorily of our people here in Ohio — yes, in 

 the whole country — want to be fair and hon- 

 est ; they want to be liberal, to give full value 

 for all they receive, just like the landlord at 

 the hotel and the woman at the little bakery ; 

 and the children across the way at that little 

 rehearsal, that I reached just as they were dis- 

 banding, are being taught that same spirit. 

 May God bless the institution of children's 

 day ; and may he help us who are (.Ider to 

 encourage this spirit among those children, of 

 doing as Jesus would do ; and let us remem- 



