The Democratic press. [volume] (Ravenna, O. [Ohio]) 1868-1901, 1871-01-19

| HOW MIKE FINK RODE DEACON SMITH S
9at BULL.
Mike took q notion to go in-sWim-
ming, and he had just got his clothes
/ off when he saw Deacon Smiths bull
lmaking at him. The bull was a vi
cious animal, and had come near kill
| ing two OF three persons-conse-
quently Mike felt rather g dubius. -
He did not want to call for help, and
| the nearest, place from whence assist
ance could arrive was the meeting
house, which was at the time filled
with worshippers, among whom was
fthe gal Mike was paying his devours
to-"
So he eadodged the bull, as the ami
NAL came at him, and managed to
catch him by the tail. He was drag
ged around till he was nearly dead.
and when he thought he could hold.
cut oslonger, he made up his mind
TO 0 holIei.ss5qz9 I'D 59aal = s9sint9T 5lil
tRaAnd now we will let him tell his
own story:
s2"S So looking, at the matter in. all its,
bearings, cum to the conclusion that
I'd better let some one know the fix
that l 2 was iii. so I began. to yell
louder than a locomotive whistle, and
it wern't long before l seen the Dea-
cons two dogs comm down as if,they
were seein' which could get thar first.
IL know'd who they were after-they'd
lime the bull agin. me. ,Se,Ds ased l..
ssold brindle, ridin' is as cheap as
walkin' on this route, and If you've
lno-that ar back o. yourn'. So I
wasn't very long gettin' astride of
| him.
.sThen if you'd been there you'd
have sworn thar war nothing human
in that mix, the sile flew so orfully as
the critter and rolled over the field
one dog on the other,tryipgt to clinch
my feet. I PRAYED and cussed until l
couldn't tell which l did last-and
neither want of no use they were so
Iiorfullysmixed up. iaasl9 sa.s llla lsa o. Il
& ell, reckon rid about half an
bhour in this way, when old brindle
thought it was time to stop. and take
in a supply of wind and cool off lit
tie. So when he got round to a tree
that stood thar, he naturally halted
So sez /, old boy, you'lIlose-one pas
senger, sartin. So just clum a
branch, kalkelating to ,roost. thar till 1
starved afore I'd be rid about that ar
way any longer. l war making tracks
for the tree, whenaI heard something
like an orful buzzing overhead. /
kinder looked up, and if thar fwasn T.
well, thar's no use swearln'-but it
was the biggest hoInet's nest ever
built. You'll give in now, Mike, /
reckon, cause. there's mo help fori it.
But an idea struck me just then thai
stood heap better chance ridin' the
bull than whari i was, So sez old
feller, if you hold on I'll ride to the
next station anyhow, let that beIwhar.
bit may.
$50 l just dropped aboard him
again, and looked aloft to see what l
had gained by changing quarters, and
gentlemen; Pm a liar if thar wasn't q
Half bushel of the stingin' varmints
ready to pitch into me when the word
go was given. Well, / reckon they got
| It, for all hands started for our COM
pany. Some on 'em hit the dogs,
about a quart struck me-, and the rest
Echarged on the brindle. .aonioJ t.iiiJ
| aa.tThis time the dogs left off fust,
dead bent for the old Deacon's, and as
soon as brindle and 1 could get away,
I'VE followed gand as 1 was only deck
ilpassenger. / had nothing to do with