A FAMILIAR GUEST 



9 



the immediate task in hand is not always of easy 

 accompHshment. 



Last week, after a somewhat distracted morn- 

 ing with some queer beguiling little harlequins on 

 the bittersweet-vine about my porch, of which I 

 have previously writ- 

 ten, I had finally set- 

 tled down to my work. 



and was engaged in 



flS^ 





puttmg the fin- 

 ishing touches 

 upon a long-de- 

 layed drawing, when a new 

 visitor claimed my attention 

 — a small hornet, which 

 alights upon the window- 

 sill within half a yard from my face. To be sure, 

 she was no stranger here at my studio — even now 

 there are two of her yonder beneath the spider- 

 nest — and was, moreover, an old friend, whose 

 ways were perfectly familiar to me ; but this time 

 the insect engaged my particular attention be- 



