THE SWAR.M 

 gather the swarm by vigorously shaking 

 the bough from which the bees depend 

 over an inverted hive. Into this hive the 

 cluster will fall as heavily as an over-ripe 

 fruit. Or, if the branch be too stout, he 

 can plunge a spoon into the mass : and 

 deposit where he will the living spoon- 

 fuls, as though he were ladling out corn. 

 He need have no fear of the bees that 

 are buzzing around him, settling on his 

 face and hands. The air resounds with 

 their song of ecstasy, which is diiterent 

 from their chant of anger. He need have 

 no fear that the swarm will divide, or 

 grow tierce, will scatter, or try to escape. 

 This is a day, I repeat, when a spirit of 

 holiday would seem to animate these mys- 

 terious workers, a spirit of confidence, 



[lOS] 



