The news and herald. (Winnsboro, S.C.) 1877-1900, 1880-07-01
Moloney's Goat.

/ N1oloney's Goat.
A few days ago, q boy sat in the dock OF
the police court at San Francisco, weeping
bitterly. He was charged by his father with
disturbing the peace and leading q disso.
Lutte life. His name was Moloney. His
father was contractor who, at the expense
of the city, earned an honest political liy-
ing. They took newspaper, and the un-
fortunate boy read an incendiary item to tho
effect that Frank Buckland, the natu, alist.
had discovered that a goat was an excellent
thing to keep in stable along with herses,
as 1t would face fire and the horses would
follow 1t through flames. He thought it
over He wanted to show his father what
a thoughtful and considcrate boy he was.
BESIDES, he wanted goat. He went down
on Rincon Hill and found one. 1t was d
| goat of Irish proclivities and ownership.
and of the male gender. Would IL face firc2
1t would. 1t wasn't expensive to keep. 1t
had lived for month on shinglc-nals and
oyster cans and the different ropes with
which 1t had been tethercd. Would the man
sell him2 He would give this one away be-
cause he liked the little boys looks. fnd
! the poor, unsuspecting little boy started for
Natoma street, down First, the goat leading
the boy. He felt pretty good for goat.
Whenever horse went by or dog hove in
| sight he would get up on his hind legs and
walk Spanish while the dogs lot out for
| the Mission, and tho children on tho front
piazzas had fits on an averageof about eight
TO the block. Finally he got an idea and
ricochettcd uD Mission street in jumps that
would have spraincd the ankle of any goat
but him. The boy acted us ruddcr and
steercd him to Natoma street. 1t was after
dark. There was hay in the stable visible
through the open door. The goat debated
the matter while and then went in. The
boy said nothing about the investment to
his Kind and lovirg parents. Fortunately
his father was down at the grocery store
and knew nothing. He would como home
80 full OF politics that he couldn't tell goat
time to explain. lie hoped that his father
would not go to the stable. He prayed that
he wouldn't. He had faith and confidence
III his father, bat he doubted that goat.
The $3 clock in his bedroom struck l, and
he knew by that that it was l2:45, and that
the old man would be along shortly. He
heard him coming heard the gate slam and
then, first trembling and then in anguish,
heard his fathers footsteps going towards
the stable, lie heal d the paddock rattle,
heard the door swing open, and then he
heard whizz, spasmodic puff as if
small balloon had burscd, and then skiff-
ling noise as the heels Of his fathers boots
slid along the plunks and he fell backwards
IN the mud, about eight feet and three quar-
tiers from the door. He raised tho window
and looked weeping aud silent upon the
scene. lie knew what the goat could do,
and it was hard to hear his dear father gasp
like goldfish rs he tried to initiate himself
again. Finally he forced down enough
wind for meagrc conversational purposes.
He said n chow
Y cd DIooui coward r.
Still no response except faint clattor of
hoofs that told the listening son that the
concealed thunderbolt was prancing around
on his hind legs aching for another shot.
''Is that you, Moloncy2 I'd shpal1c wild
you.' The voice came from the bedroom
window whore the night cap Of the boys
dear mother appeared surmounting her kind
face and the top Of a broomstick.
Cant en- up. Got somclin here Olic. }
Sumtlu blowcd up.'
"Whart is 2"
"Don'no (hic.) Gucssr roof fell in."
''Why don't yer 90 an see Air yc goin'
ter shape there all night, ye dhrunkcn ould
freckle rancho p''
Braced up by the connumbal indorsc-
mcnt, the father arose, as did also a large
portion of the loose soil in the yard along
with him. Triangualing with some diff
Guilty to the windward side of the door, he
unroofcd himself and pecred in. No ex-
plosive agent was visible in the darkness,
and the spawned mare delivered a rcassur-
ing whinny. Mr.. Nloloney had prizc-fought
in his younger days, and it occurred to him
that ii would be strategic and defiant 10 shy
his hat at the ambuscade. Tie ambuscade
took in the shy but remained quicsccnt,
save for the motion necessary to masticatc
it.
Having regained his wind and some cour-
age, he concluded to enter. Hc placed him.
self tcmptlngly in the doorway, facing out.
ward. No sign He took a sep back
ward, still with safety A tnlrd, and still
no trouble.
Moloney struck match, and there stood
revealed mcck-looking billy-goat, largest
size, coppcr-fronted and sweet of express
ion, who, rs the last two inches of hat rim
disappeared down his G9phugus, promul-
gated gentle "baal"
The kind ju 'gc noticedthat the little boy
had been standing up al the time he was in
the dock, though there were plenty of
benches, and understood Why he wanted to
60 to the Industrial School until his father
broke his arm and his mother caught the
paralysis. Hc told him to cheer up, how
ever, and he would SEQ about his case, and
! the little boy wiped his nose on the sleeve
| OF his coat and went bcloS.
HOniton Lace