The Sedalia weekly bazoo. [volume] (Sedalia, Mo.) 187?-1904, 1886-01-12
FAMILY FINANCES.
Ars. Finn Lays Siege to Mikes
Heart and Pocket.

A big brown beetle blundered against
. window of the Finn shanty as the
shadow Of the tall chimney on the lime
mill was thrown over Browns pond by
the setting sun, and. after humming a
lively tune against a resonant whole
pane, stumbled through q broken one
into the meshes of Mrs. Firms black
hair. Mrs. Finn was seated before the
fire. with her elbows resting on her
knees, and evidently thinking of some
very serious matter, as she paid no at
tention 10 the beetle, which yainly
stroVe To Hibernate its serrated legs from
their environment. The tame crow
sat on the back of chair. and re-
garded the insect as a bit of mama
sent down 70 be transformed into crow
meat. The beetle struggled, the crow
waited for him 10 get free, and Mrs.
Finn thought harder than ever how to
regain control Of her husband, who
had HnreasOnably assumed that. as he
was the bigger and stronger of the two,
he must of necessity possess more ex-
eeutive ability than his wife. This
reasoning Mrs. Finn had proved to be
tsllacicus: at least to the satisfaction
Of Mrs. OHrien, who had called on the
previous day to sell rattle ticket for
Hrs. Malone bedstead.
LIS yourself knows well. Mrs.
O'Brien, there's ne'er saviner woman
than me on CoOney island-savin' yer
prisince-but Mike is afther thinkin'
he can buy more wild the money than
meseh, so he's carrying the money in
his blessed pants pockets; an if rattle
tickets was sellin' fur two cints dozen
us meself wouldn't have that much
money as nd buy straw in the Wildly
Ealone's bed"
Mrs. Finn had been sitting still for
half an hour. The heat of the fire was
very grateful on the chill October night.
and she began TO feel drowsy. As she
looked dreamily into the CRATE through
kalf-closed eyelids she saw coming out
of the embers a spawned mule. which
was also wind-broken. and whose pain
tGl wheeling seemed to impart an add
ed brightness 10 the Goals. Upon the
mules back SAT 2 Young man. whose
well-knit frame was covered with an
zl-titting psir OF trousers and blue
shirt. But what brigh: eyes he had.
and how they danced IN the freight.
And what happy smile rippled over
his face when he saw the Young girl
standing on the bridge awaiting him,
Now he i off the mules back in
twinkling, and-yes, be is trying to kiss
her. Then gently protesting voice
Stole out of the crate:
.'Arrah, 60 way wild yer foolishness,
Eike"-theh. in whisper: Mrs.
fogerty's lookin' over tn back fince!'
By this time the brown beetle had be-
come hopelessly entangled and the crow
had fallen asleep.
When Mrs. Finn had wiped her eyes
she looked into the CRATE again, and
saw that the young girl was riding the
mule. while the young man led the ami
NAL. The Queen of Sheba, no doubt,
had Drawer palfrey, but no more
knightly attendant, and her cheeks
could have borne no more roseate a
tinge when she met the King than that
en- the face of the girl as she sat upon
The spawned canal mule and cautioned
her lover TO:
Walk him aisy. Mike, dear; bekase
ye know well I'm afeard he might run
AVA" "a possibility which was further
away than the North Pole.
The fire was burning low in the
CRATE. but Mrs. Finn could see the
mule stop before an old red barn. She
saw the girl loosen her hold of the
mules name and drop to the ground.
While the mule was eating hay be-
tween his wheeZes. the couple seated
themselves on the grass beside the
stable door, and the young man told Of
his race over the twenty mile level up
the canal with Paddy Feenan.
''Ye wouldn't think, Biddy. whin
ye're lookin' at tn ould meule as she
had that strin' tn as nd pull hay out o
th rack, bnt you tie her on the ind iy
a tow-line. an give her a gintle dig in
Oh ribs wild spade, or anything
handy. an she'll pull yer boat out o
the wather.H
The fire was burning very low and
the voices sounded faint to Mrs. Firms
listening ear The flame burned up
brightly for moment, fickered and
suddenly went out. The vision had
departed. Mrs. Finn bathed her
flushed face and in arranging her hair
she discovered the beetle. She placed
il upon the window, whence it fell out
on the grouud. Mrs. Finn put on
dress which closely resembled the one
which the young girl had worn when
she rode the mule. Pleasant thoughts
had conjured up the lovelight into her
eyes. Experience had taught her that
there are more vulnerable parts in a
married mans anatomy than his heart.
Profting by this knowledge, she boiled
. salt mackerel. toasted some bread,
boiled some potatoes until they burnt
their jackets, and was arranging dish
of water crosses when the door opened
and her husband came in. There was
an unusual kindliness in Mrs. Firms
manner, and an evident desire to an
ticipate his wants which attracted
Mixes attention. He said nothing to
her about it. 1t troubled him. bow