ITALIAN QUEEN BEE 75 



but could not get to them. They then took 

 out the tacks that held down the pasteboard 

 slip outside, over the honey candy, removed 

 it, put the cage back as before and shut 

 up the colony. The pasteboard gone, the 

 Maids at once began to eat out the candy to 

 get through into a compartment and liber- 

 ate me, and they finished the task in a very 

 few hours. The tiniest hole at first, through 

 which came a pink little thread of a tongue ! 

 I knew it meant a friendly kiss and a sip 

 of honey fresh from the flowers, and I gave 

 and took both. Soon a head and then a 

 body through, greetings were extended, and 

 such gratitude that they had a Queen again, 

 that I was right away at home, and set 

 about my business of laying eggs. During 

 the interregnum, the Maids had started 

 many Queen Cells, to make sure in due time 

 to replace my predecessor. These I myself 

 soon tore down, as mistress, with much the 

 same spirit I showed in the old land when 

 I found a Virgin Queen about to emerge 

 from a cell after I had been proclaimed. 



