36 



GLEANINGS IN BEE CULTURE. 



Fkb 



tight box they will as soou as released go 

 squealing home by the shortest cut possible, 

 setting at dell-mcc all rules of reason and 

 comraon sense. 



Were you ever homesick ? JTid you ever at 

 the close ot the day feel, ns you looked about 

 you, that everything vvas very pleasant and 

 comforLal>le, possibly more so than some other 

 spot you were thinking of, to those who had 

 never known any other home, but oh! it was 

 not your home. Try as hard as you might the 

 feeling would well up and the great sobs would 

 come. 



"Oil ! what would I give ! What icould I 

 give to lie back at the old place once more. I 

 want to see ray mother and I want to see the 

 rest, and I could fairly hug the old cat and 

 dog, the cows and the horses, if I could 

 only be there once more. I don't care what 

 happens hereafter nor ho\T hard I have to 

 work I will be good and obedient. Only give 

 me back my home, my dear old home." 



Perhaps more than one youth has, under the 

 inlluence of this feeling, turned back to the old 

 homestead and ceased to be allured by the 

 frivolities of a life away from home; and if all 

 our homes were nearer what they should be, 

 who knows l>ut that the feeling might be a 

 still stronger appeal to their better nature. 

 Perhaps, my friend, it n)ight give you a more 

 vivid seuse of tlie happy home you are enjoy- 

 ing if you were taken away a few weeks and 

 then allowed to go back. 



Since the days of childhood, it has been with 

 me a fond pastime to watch the growth of 

 homes, shops, stores and all places of business. 

 If a new family came into our town, 1 was at 

 tjnce anxious that they should get to work and 

 tis up their home ; even though they made but 

 very little i)rogress, I at least watched for 

 something to assure me that they were grow- 

 ing just a little. I was anxious to sec every 

 body assist in making two blades of grass 

 grow where only one grew before. Particu- 

 larly do I remember an English family who 

 seemed to have brought not only their quaint 

 brogue from the father-land, but also their 

 habits of economy and thrift to such an ex- 

 tent that they made gardens in every nook 

 and cranny, from every feuce corner clear up 

 to the neatly scrubbed door step. Not a weed 

 was ever allowed to intrude on a single inch 

 of the precions ground embraced in the boun- 

 daries of their new home. Here a hill of 

 encumbers, there one of corn, or a tomato or 

 cabb.ige plant; and so perfectly captivated 

 was my boyish fancy witli their novel ways 

 and intense industry, tliat their home soon be 

 came almost my home ; and despite the rude 

 jests of some of my old associates who were 

 better dressed and who've accents did not 

 tempt one to laugh outright at their queer- 

 ne.ss, I soon not only learned to be an enthusi- 

 ast in their gardening, but also to share in 

 their humble repast of dishes such as they 

 used in the dear old country. Very soon I 

 became "chief gardener" in our own home, 

 and with th.e aid of my two English boy friends, 

 I soon astonished not only our own household, 

 but the neighbors all arounri. In fact the 

 naughty boys that laugheil at my English 

 friends were finally so astonished at the sight 

 of our melon ));iteh on a south side-hill, that 



they came one night and — I niight almost cry 

 aboi^t it again, even if it was 25 yeai-s ago. 

 Perhaps the purest and happiest days of boy- 

 hood were those sijent in twautifying our two 

 homes with those humble friencfs ; and the 

 great secret of it was perhaps that they were 

 so poor that they v/ere really compelled to la • 

 bor thus for their daily bread. D-ear, kind, 

 generous Mrs. AVills! under th;»t queer Eng- 

 lish garb and despite the broad dialect, there 

 was a true, genuine love for all humanity. 

 Perhaps one great secret of that pleasant home 

 was the scrupulous neatness, that she not only 

 practiced, but taught her lx)ys also; and the 

 success in their gardens and the satisfactiois 

 they invariably gave their en-^ployers were 

 much owing to this very trait. I should 

 be vei'y glad to state that they grew up to b:- 

 good and useful men, but alas, ?. little pi'osper- 

 ity, love of their English ale, and well dressed 

 conipauions were too great teuiptations, and 

 one of theni, 1 think, was soon keeper of a sa- 

 loon. Oh, why could they not have l>een con- 

 tent with tlieir jx;aceful work ansid the straw- 

 berries, flowers and — weeds V 



Don't you think it is all the l>etter for you 

 and me that welutvcn't very much money 'i Very 

 likely we would not take half tho pleasure we 

 do now with our bees, gardens and homes, if 

 we had lots of money, is it not taking good 

 care of what we have, rather than having so 

 much, that makes life pleasant to oui'selves 

 and those around us? 



A year or so ago, I felt some of my old boy- 

 ish enthusiasm to have my home free from 

 weeds, — you know I mean "out doors" of 

 course — well, to hire a gardener at $2.00 ])eL" 

 day seemed the easiest way, and in the cours-; 

 of time, not a v/eed was to l>j seen ; bat it was 

 awfully expensive, and the pleasure was noth- 

 ing compared to that experienced when it was 

 the work of our own- hands. Last season we 

 tried another plan; the garden was plowed, 

 and when nice warm weather came, a family 

 council was helil and it was decided that all 

 hands. Blue Eyes includetl, were to meet for 

 lessons in gardening ever}' evening a little be- 

 fore sundown ; Papa to not only give instruc. 

 tions, but to make the work pleasant for all. 

 For a while it was uphill work to get them all 

 on hand, and in a cheerful, pleasant mood ; 

 and many times did tho temptation pr-^^cat it- 

 self to think the "poy was too schmiU" rather 

 than that he did not make his "coats" right. 

 But victory came at last and all hands were 

 more than willing to repair to our clean and 

 tidy rows of corn, beans, melons, etc., for it 

 was the work of our own hands. Many times 

 did it seem as if urgent duties would deuiaml 

 that the teacher sliould be excused ; but I tell 

 you there is no dut}' on this wide earth so im- 

 perative as the one you owe your own family. 



I shall have to commence another chapter iu 

 order to have plenty of elbow room to tell you 

 just what I mean by this remark. Kememlx-r 

 the-^e two leaves don't cost you anything so it 

 is n)y privilege to waste just as much paper as 

 I please. 



CHAPTER IX. 



"Twelve, is ronr-thirds of what tiuinbor?" 

 "T'T was probably about the time when I had 

 .2i. the "gardening fever," but it wasn't the 



