>I knew a beekeeper who would work his bees while drinking.>

History shows there was a tendency to
go bee hunting while drinking also.  
Here,s the story,,,,

Racine Daily Herald
Wednesday, March 12, 1879 Racine, Wisconsin

Bulldozing a Bee-Hunter.

"Charles McGuire," began his Honor,
as he looked over the desk at a slim-waisted
man who had evidently met a
polar wave and been worsted, "the policeman
tells me that he found you
walking up and down the street, beating
an old tin pan and shouting at the
top of your voice. Did Senator Sharon
make his great wealth by indulging in
such practices? Do we remember
Homer and Milton because they disturbed
the peace? Look me in the eye,
prisoner at the bar, and beware how you
answer."
"You see I heard a swarm of bees
passing over, and I wanted them to settle
on my fence," gently replied the
man.
"Bees! Bees in the month of February
Bees swarming such weather as
this?" exclaimed the court, as he grew
pale around the mouth.
"Can't a bee come out in winter if he
wants to?" argued the prisoner, warming
up to his defense.
"He can, but he don't," said his
Honor. "Every bee in the land is now
in a dormant state, and will be for weeks
to come."
"But I heard bees in the air. I know
what I hear as well as the next man."
"Charles McGuire, you had a bee in
your bonnet, or a flea in your ear.
What ailed you was too much whisky."
"May-bee that was it," thoughtfully
observed Bijah.
The court gave him one lingering,
trembling look, calculated to bring on
congestion of the lungs within twenty
minutes, and turned to the prisoner and
said:
"This is your first time here, and I
can overlook your offense. Let me tell
you, however, that any further beehunting
in Detroit in the winter will
put you along with people who don't
smell honey from one year to another."
"But if I see bees to-morrow____ "
"But you won't. If you do I'll send
you up for thirty days."
"But suppose a bumble-bee should
come_____"
"If you say bee to me again I'll send
you up now."
The prisoner hated to give up so, but
he finally made his way out, muttering:
"To bee or not to bee a bumble-bee."—
Detroit Free Press.

Best Wishes
J. Waggle
http://pets.groups.yahoo.com/group/HistoricalHoneybeeArticles/

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