356 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



July 



IMERRRYBANKS AND HIS NEIGHBOR. 



THEIR FEET WERE SWIFT TO DO EVIli. 



ia)EFORE I tell you of the mishap of 

 Mm friend M. with "Mary on his shoulder, ] 

 — shall have to explain that John and 

 the doctor's boy— didn't'I tell you Iheyhad a 

 doctor in OnionvilleV Avell, they have one, 

 and a very good doctor he is too. only, like a 

 great many other doctors, he thinks'himself 

 too Avise, or some thing, to be seen in Sun- 

 day-school, and he also, it is said, takes med- 

 icine quite frequently out of a bottle, when 

 he isn't sick at all. "Well, John and the doc- 

 tor's boy had made a bargain with a farmer 

 H little out of town to hoe corn for him until 

 they had paid for a hive of bees. Under the 

 inspiration of the bee fever they worked hard 

 and patiently, and the farmer, who was a 

 very good old man, gave them one of his 

 best, heavy with honey and bees, as they 

 usually are in the month of June. As soon 

 as their task was completed, boylike they 

 must have their bees liome at once, and, al- 

 though the farmer told them they were too 

 tired to carry them that night, nothing would 

 do but that they must be taken right along. 

 With a little smoke th.ey were all driven into 

 the hive, and a sheet tied under the mouth, 

 and the corners brought over the top and 

 tied. Under the knots a stick was placed, 

 and the boys started home with them, full of 

 enthusiasm. It was at the close of a warm 

 day, and they Avere tired before they started, 

 an'd it was nothing strange that their zeal 

 considerably abated before they got to the 

 village through Avhich they had to pass. 



'' O John ! " said the doctor's boy, " I am 

 awful thirsty ; let us stop at the grocery and 

 get some beer.'' 



John knew his mother Avould feel badly if 

 she knew he had been drinking beer ; Init he 

 knew, too, that Tom Avould jeer at him if he 

 said any thing about his mother ; so he only 

 made the objection that it cost money. 



" But I will stand treat, and so it won't 

 cost you any thing ;" and before John could 

 offer a Avord more, the bees were hastily set 

 down, and the beer was ordered. They had 

 been enjoined, Avhen starting, not to set the 

 hive tlat down Avhen they stopped to rest; 

 but this they forgot all about, and down it 

 Avent, the mouth in the soft dust of the road, 

 closing every air passage through the cloth, 

 Avhich Avas already densely covered Avith pant- 

 ing bees. It was nearly dark when they 

 got home, and John, being unlike the doc- 

 tor's bov, not much used to even mild stim- 

 ulants, had a headache that made him glad 

 to set the bees down anyAvhere. According- 

 ly it Avas deposited on a corner of the door- 

 step. Just at this juncture some boys came 

 along and called to them that they Avere go- 

 ing over to the doctor's to kill the toads that 

 were eating up his bees. John objected, on 

 the ground that their bees must be located 

 and let out. 



" AVhy, they can't lly any to-night," said 

 one of the boys ; '' come on, and see us de- 

 molish the toads." 



"■ We will have lots of fun Avith them," 

 said another, and off they went, laughing 

 and yelling as only a tribe of street boys can 

 do. Pown Avent the hive again, and off John 



and Tom put after them, tired as they were. 

 Again Avas John led aAvay against his better 

 judgment, because he had not the strength 

 of mind to say nn when invited. After they 

 had tortured and murdered all the toads and 

 frogs they could find, the boys ventured near 

 the doctor's house, Avhere he and a brother- 

 bee-keeper AA'ere discussing the cause of the 

 losses last Avinter. 



THE DOCTOR AND THE SHOEMAKER DIS- 

 CUSSING THE BEE DISEASE. 



John got home quite late ; and as his con- 

 science troubled him ill icgard to the CA'cnts 

 of the last fcAv hours, he slipped in quietly 

 and kept pretty still, until he became inter- 

 ested in friend JSIerrybanks' reading. By 

 this time he had forgotten all about the bee- 

 hive, and never thought of it until friend M. 

 stumbled against it in the dark, as I told you 

 last month. At the scream and commotion. 

 John's mother brought a light, and friend 

 M. Avasjust picking himself up out of the 

 dust, after having stumbled OA^er the hive. 

 Mary Avas, of course, unhurt, for he took 

 good care to hold her up safely ; but, oh my! 

 what a looking sight Avas that hive I The 

 combs Avere nearly all melted and broken 

 doAA'n in one dauby, sticky mass, and bees 

 as black as ink Avere dragging their daubed 

 and sticky bodies through the dust, in hope- 

 less misery. Friend M. looked just one sec- 

 ond, and then gathered up the sheets, and 

 stopped the poor innocents from getting out. 



" Have you got a queenless liive, with 

 plenty of empty combs':*" asked he quickly of 

 John's father. 



"Yes, sir; two of 'em." 



'• Bring the light and guide me to them." 



At this he lifted the sticky hive, and all 

 Avent for the apiary. 



'' John, put an empty story on this hive." 



John Avas ready enough now to obey or- 

 ders. The hive Avas on, and tlie bees AA'ere 

 then carefully poured on the tops of thft 

 frames and asionished bees below. All 

 hands soon set to AAork so busily licking up 

 the honey, that they forgot to sting ; and af- 

 ter the crawling bees were doAA'ii in the hiA^e, 

 the combs Avere lifted carefully and set up 

 against the sides in such a Avay that the bees 



