There is a little island, and on that island there is a lot of bees, and
the bees they have got a Queen, who is good and kind and whom everybody
loves and respects. But the beehive, like all beehives, often gets crowded
with too many bees, and then the young and strong bees fly out of the old
hive and go far away into the woods and make a new hive. Then the good and
kind Queen sends some old bees with the young ones, so, as she thinks, to
govern well and wisely and administer justice. But it so happens that among
the bees on that little island, there is also, as in all hives, a kind of
bee called the Drone. They are big bees, look strong, and have big legs,
but very small heads and very little in them. These bees don't work, but
live by stealing what the small bees gather up by their industry.
-parable written by John Robson, editor of the British Columbian in reference
to Judge Begbie. January, 1862.
