The Shasta courier., 1855-11-17
NUMBER 81.
Mike Finch and the BuIl.

The story of Mike Finch and the bull would
make cynic laugh Mike took notion TO go
in swimming. and had just got his clothes of
when he saw Deacon Smiths bull making at
hlm-ihe bull was vicions animal, and had
come near killing Two or three persons-conse-
qnentiy. Mike felt rather jubus.' He didn't
want to call for help, for he was naked, and The
| nearest place from where assistance could ar.
rive was The meeting. house. which was at that
time filled with worshippers among whom was
The gal Mike was paying his devoirs to- So
] he doged the bull as the animal came mt him,
and managed to catch him by The tail He was
dragged around I'LL nearly dead. and when be
| Thought he could hold no longer, he made up
his mind he had better 'holler.o And now We
will let him tell his own story:
So looking at the matter in all its bearings
cum 10 the conclusion that had better let some
one know whnr was.-So gin a yell lond-r
than locomotive whistle, aud il warnt long
before | seed the deacon's Two dogs o comm
| down like as if they war seeing which could get
thar fust knowd who they were ar,er-
they'd j.ne the bull agin me, | was sarlin for
they were oriu wenemons, and had a spite agin
me- So says I, old brindle. as ridin' is as cheap
as walkin on this route ii you've no objections
I'll Jist take deck passage on thar nr' back O.
yourn. So wasn't very long getting as,ride of
him, then il you'd bin thar, you'd have sworn
thar warn't nothing human in that ar miz the
sile flew so orfully the cri1ter and rolled
other, tryin' to cnch my feet prayed md
cussed, and cussed and prayed, until couldn't
tell which | did not ast--and neither warn't
OF no use, they were SO ortully mix: up.
Well. | recond rid about half an honr this
way when old brindle thought it were time 10
stop to take in supply of wind. and cool off
little. So when he got round to a tree that siocd
thar. he naturally hulied. So seq | old boy.
you will lose one passenger sariin. So jist
cIum up branch, kakalain TO roost thar till
starved ature I'd be rid round that ar way any
longer. war maxim tracks for the top of the
tree, when heard suihn maxim an orful buzz
zin overhead. ! kinder looked up, and il thar
warn't we'll har's use swearin' but thar war
the biggest hornets nest ever built. You'll gin
it now. reckon, Mike. cause there's no help
for you.-Bnt an idea struck me then that I
Stood heap better chance ridn' the bull than
where was Sec I. old feer, ifyou'll hold on.
III ride To the next station anyhow, let it be
whar it will usf,lfsU, bast rrh tsas
So jist. dropped aboard him again. and look
ed aloft 10 what I had gained by changr'
quarters and, gentlemen Pm liar ii thar warn't
nigh half a bushel Of stingin' varminis ready to
pitch into me when the word go was gin. Well
reckon they got it, for all hands started for our
company. Some on 'em hit the dogs-about
die de ~" >"a' ''' '''' ''' 90 '"'' s'' OA O''',
This time the dogs led of fust, dead bent for
| the old deacon's and as soon as old brindle and
| | could get under way followed, as was
only a deck passenger and had nohin' to do
with steerin' the craft; swore, If I had, we
shouldn't have run that channel anyhow. But
as said before. the dogs took the lead-briu.
die and | next, and the hornets dre'kly arter
The dogs yellin'-brndle hoerin' and the hoy.
nets bnzzin' and singin'. a .a.le - .ft
Well, we had got about two hundred yards
from the house, and the deacon hearn us, aud
cum out. ! seed him hold up his hands and turn
white. reckoned he was prayn' then, for he
didn't expect TO be called for soon, and it warn't
long neither, aiore the whole congregation
men, women and children-cnm ont and then
all hands Went a yeIIin'.-Nonr of 'em had the
fnst notion that brinde and ! belonged to this
world. | jist turned my head and past the hull
congregation. seed the run would be up soon
for brindle couldn't turn an incl from fence
that stood dead ahead.-Well. we reached the
fence. and went ashore, over the old critters
head landin' on t'other side, and lay thar stun.
ned, -sasssh1oia . Eslsls' -7as
1t warn't long afore some of 'em as was not
scared cum runnn' to see what war; for all
hands kalkelated that the bull and l belonged
together. But when brndle walked off BY him.
self they seed how it war; and one of 'em said.
| Nike Fink has got the wust of a scrumn,age
once IN his llte.' Gentlemen from that day
dropped ibe courtin' business, and never smoke
10 gal since, and when my hunt is up on this
yearih, there won't be any more Fiuks. and iis
| all OWN 10 Deacon Smiths brindle BULL - 8