Wheeling Sunday register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1882-1934, 1886-07-11
MICKEY'S DIAMONDS.
BLAZING GEMS THAT FILLED HIS SOUL
WITH DESIRE
How He Hunted For Precious Stones With
a Fire Shovel and a TsllOw Candls--Ths
Tame Crow and the Message
Neap York Sun.

and replied:
1.-THE diamonds are worth torty-nV
cents, my little fellow, but | will let 70
have one for forty cents. "
Mickey's face heightened. Forty cent
was more money than he had ever owne
at one time. He wanted a diamond
present to his mother on the anniversary Q
her wedding DAY. He gazed generously a
the piece of glass set in brass, then turne'
regretfully away and invested his ten pen
MES in q little bell to tie around the neci
of his tame crow. Shouldering the bag o
coal which he had gathered down by TIT
railroad track he trudged homeward. Al
he went along he tinkled the bell in IN
rocket His heart had been set upon the
however, and the chime of the
bell failed TO make him forget it. When
he arrived at home the crow flew on MS
shoulder with familiar croak. Taking
a red ribbon from his pocket he was about
TO tie it around the crows neSk.
Don't tie that bell around the crows
neck with a red ribbon, for if you do he
laifssY away and niver stop flying till he's
Ia3e =. said the schOolmaster. Mickey
d ss.,g the ribbon upon nail in the window
casing.
rs that thrue?" cried Mr.. and Mrs.
Finn.
cave. it is, that. Nanny O. thin crows
did l see wild tn death fight on thin whin
| was t'achin' school in Jersey. fesee, it's
like this. Whin tn grain and corn is all
put in the BARNS the crows has nothin' t
feed ON. So they does be gettin' thin and
as empty Us gourds. Jist about this time
ven see thin wicked Jersey lads catchin'
tn poor crows-they're so wake they can
fiy-and tying pieces O. red fannln t their
tails. Thin they'll start an fly, an If We
had ewes as could see q hundred miles ye'd
see thin flyin' over mountains an lakes
an rivers-yis, an continents, be the ould
gray goat, till they'd find wet graves, poor
things, an tn waves 'ud roll over thin. "
The schOolmaSter's warning seemed to
be borne out by the crow, who was stand
inc with his feet braced, and cawing as
though in mortal fear of the ribbon. To
Ioiet aim, Mickey substituted q piece OF
white cord for the ribbon. Then
THE CROW BEGAN TURNING soMERSAULTs
and clawing wildly at the tell-tale bell.
But the harder he struggled the more noisy
became the bell. Then he disappeared out
If the door, and a faint tinkling came
lown the chimney telling of further efforts
20 rid himself of his tOrmenter.
Even when he was in school the next
Law the CLEAN of the diamond shOne above
Mickey's mental horizon. 1t was exami-
nation day, and he hand only half learned
MS piece. Knowing that he would be
punished if he failed, he had rubbed ros!n
carefully into the palms of his hands. At
asst he was before the school. His arms
grew unaccountably long. The faces be-
ore him resembled indistinct white spots
nut of which, clear cut and distinct, stood
MS friend DOOlan's grin. Twice he opened
his mouth, but his tongue had thickened,
md then there came forth like an echo from
/ we'll:
Tn by stud on tn burnin deck
Louder whispered DoOlan.
Mickey set his teeth hard together. Doc
ans grin was gone when he saw those rOs-
ned fists fold into malignant punches. The
orator gathered himselftogether HeloOked
ID at the ceiling. There was no help there.
Then he raised himself on tiptOe, and blurt-
ID out:
TIL by stud on tn burnin' deck
There was painful pause, during which
Mary Doolan hid her face behind her slate
II sympathy. Just here Mickey's eye
,aught a CLEAN Of sunlight reflected from
window across the way. There was mis-
,hief in the lad, and, as though shot from
catapult, there came forth the words:
ShoyelIn drmOn's by tn peck
Of course Mickey's hands were duly
,addled, and he simulated pain he did
lot feel as the ruler came down upon his
palms, which had been made Us tough rs
Gather by the application of the rOsin.
doe d'mOn's grow, or does the min
make thin, or where does they come from,
lnyhow?" said Mickey to Doolan as they
vent homeward.
''Shure, they comes out in holes in the
ground. Nagurs digs thin. Me uncle
Billy has wan in tn front in his shirt, an
til dazzle yer eyes wild tn red an yaller
lights in it. It's only rich people
LIKE oUANEs AN ME UNCLE BILLY.
Is has money t buy thim," said DoOlan.
Mickey was much impressed with Doc
ans description of his uncle's diamond.
Il served TO make him resolve that if there
was social distinction in the possession Of
4 diamond that the Firms must have one
cleaning in their escutcheon. But how
was Ia to get it? By breaking in the jew
sller's window and stealing it? This I'M
worthy thought found no Judgment in his
mind, perhaps because he remembered that
the Waterman held nightly vigils very
near to the jewelry store. Suddenly he
threw his slate into the air, catching it rs
Il fell. Then he shouted out q loud tiger-o-o!
He Rugged himselfin rapture and chucklcd
IS an older boy might have chuckled over
a golden eagle. Already he saw big dia-
mond shining in the lace collar about his
neck. He looked up and down
the road to see if ANY one was possessed Of
his secret. He muttered under his breath:
"Di'mon's! / know where there is
bushels iv 'em, bushels iv 'em, be tn holy
poker! Down in tn quarries. "
By this time he had reached home. His
face shone and his eyes kindled with the
fires of hope. His mother thought his joy
Gus appearance was the result of his ora
torical success.
cam did We spake yer piece, Mickey?
an did tn schoolmaster tell We wan o.
thin days ye'd be foine gintleman, an
we'd be speeehifyin' an tellin' tn people
about planets an haythins an all thin
things?"
Here Mrs. Finn looked up at her pros
pective astronomer and preacher, and ex-
claimed:
Come here! Were you T. school wild
that gaum O. dirt on yer neck? God save
us! But Lux at the bracelets We have on
yer arrumS! Ye were rastin' wild Doolanl
Well, come here till We rastle wild me-"
But even his enforced bath failed to re,
move the thought of the diamond from
Mickey's mind, for rs his mother Redeemed
his neck with a rough towel he saw in the
basin, cleaning with purple and gold, a
big soap bubble.
''Now, yen split yer wood an milk the
goat. Mind We, milk her clane"
This is what Mrs. Finn shouted as hel
boy climbed the fence into Stumpy Field
making a trumpet of her hands and adding