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THE HONEY-BEE.
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afraid of bees, but was completely cured of her fear by the following incident. A swarm having left a hive, I observed the Queen alight by herself, at a little distance from the apiary. I immediately called my little friend, that I might show her this important personage; she was anxious to have a nearer view of her majesty, and therefore, having first caused her to draw on her gloves, I gave the Queen into her hand. Scarcely had I done so, when we were surrounded by the whole bees of the swarm. In this emergency I encouraged the trembling girl to be steady, and to fear nothing, remaining myself close by her, and covering her head and shoulders with a thin handkerchief. I then made her stretch out the hand that held the Queen, and the bees instantly alighted on it, and hung from her fingers as from the branch of a tree. The little girl, experiencing no injury, was delighted above measure at the novel sight, and so entirely freed from all fear, that she bade me uncover her face. The spectators were charmed at the interesting spectacle. I at length brought a hive, and shaking the swarm from the child's hand, it was lodged in safety without inflicting a single sting."

This instance, though amusing, must yield in interest to the following from Thorley. an old English bee-master. It has been often told, but, for the reasons already stated, deserves to be repeated:—"In the year 1717, one of my swarms settled among the close-twisted branches of a codling tree, and not to be got into a hive without help, my maid-servant,