A Hive of Busy Bees | Page 9

and off he would go
again, across the lot.
After this had happened several times, Don said, "Just wait, Grandma;
when we get him into the corner again, I will hold him there."
So the next time, he grabbed the calf about the neck and jumped on his
back. Instantly the calf turned and galloped across the lot. When he
reached the farther side, he turned again, and Don rolled off on the soft
grass.
Just then, Grandpa came to the rescue. He drove the calf to the corner
and held him there, while Grandma coaxed him to drink from the pail.
"We must go to bed early tonight," said Grandpa as they started for the
house. "We want to reach the river by the time the sun comes up."
"But you'll tell us a story first, won't you, Grandma?" asked Don.
"Yes," said Grandma, as she sank into her comfortable old rocking
chair in the kitchen.
"About another bee?" asked Joyce. "Which one?"
"Bee Truthful," answered Grandma. "Boys and girls who will not listen
to him often come to grief--as the boy did that I shall tell you about.

"Little Milton lived on a farm. His father had a number of mules, which
he used in plowing his fields. Two of the young mules were very
ill-tempered. Milton's father was very careful to keep the little pigs and
calves out of their way, for fear the mules would paw them to death.
"When Milton was almost nine, a little baby brother came into his
home. His name was Marion. Milton loved the baby dearly, and never
grew tired of playing with him.
"Their father built a fence around the yard. They were careful to keep
the gates of the fence closed, so little Marion could not wander away;
especially after the two ill-tempered mules were put out to pasture in
the lot just back of the house.
"Late one afternoon, Milton was helping his father in the back lot.
Daddy had to go and do something else, so he left the boy to finish the
job.
"'As soon as you have finished,' said Daddy, 'you may go to the house.
But be sure to latch the back yard gate.'
"Daddy did not get home until after dark. 'Milton,' he said, 'did you
latch the gate when you came in this afternoon?'
"Milton knew he had forgotten, but he thought to himself, 'If I tell the
truth, I shall have to go out and latch the gate now; and I am afraid of
the dark.'
"Aloud, he said, 'Yes, Daddy, I did.'
"'Are you sure?' asked Daddy.
"'Yes,' said Milton again.
"The little boy suddenly heard a bee buzzing in his ears--'Tell the truth,
Milton; tell the truth!' But he said to himself, 'It won't matter if the gate
stands open all night; I will latch it the first thing in the morning.' And
so he soon forgot all about it.

"The next morning, right after breakfast, Milton's mother sent him on
an errand. Marion was still asleep.
"'Where's Marion?' asked Milton when he came back.
"'He woke a little while ago,' said Mother. 'After I gave him his
breakfast, I let him go out in the yard to play--it's such a bright
morning.'
"Instantly Milton thought of the gate; and he went to look for Marion.
"A moment later he heard his father cry out in alarm; and looking
toward the pasture where the two young mules were kept, he saw little
Marion just inside the fence.
"Daddy ran toward the baby as fast as he could; but he was just too late.
One of the mules kicked Marion, and he fell over in a little heap. The
mule, seeing Daddy coming, ran toward the other end of the pasture.
"Daddy picked up the limp little body and carried it to the house. The
baby lay so still that at first they thought he was dead.
"Milton was terribly frightened, and he cried almost all day; for he
knew this dreadful thing had happened because he did not latch the
back yard gate--and because he had told Daddy a lie about it.
"Poor little Marion was taken to the hospital. His spine had been
injured, and it was many, many months before he could sit up. And
never again was he able to run about like other children.
"It was a long time before Mother and Daddy found out how the baby
came to be in the pasture with the mules. But one day, after little
Marion had been brought home, Milton told Daddy the whole, sad
story.
"'I'm very sorry,' said Daddy kindly, when he had finished. 'I wish you
had told me the truth. I wouldn't have sent you out alone in the dark,
son. I would have gone