The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-07

Jack Doolan. Doolan carried With him q
five cent firecracker. which had somehow
escaped being exploded on the Fourth Of
July.
Little Mike offered Doolan a small mud
turtle about the size Of silver dollar.
which he carried In his trousers pocket.
In exchange for the cracker, but Doolan
refused the offer.
81 don't want none O. yer ould mud tur-
kles. !" said Doolan; but IL yell 81 me
wan o thin pals full O berries Ill 81 ye
tn cracker.
Mickey demurred to this proposal, but
Doolan dilated on the wonderful proper
ties of the cracker and how it would
''blow tomato can up agin tn sky" and
at last the bargain was consummated. The
berries wero poured out into Doolan's hat.
and while he ate them by the handfuls,
little Mike examined one end Of the
cracker with an old jack knife to SEQ how
much powder there was in 1t. Then be
resumed his homeward way, wondering
how high the cracker would blow the tur
tie if tho animal were placed Oh top Of
the tomato can when the explosion took
place.
Meanwhile the sun had risen higher to.
ward thu zenith. The breeze still delayed
its coming, and tho heated air had dranl.
up the water In the brook until there was
scarcely enough left to wet tho stones.
Little Mike was afraid that he would be
censured for the loss Of his berries, and
so he sneaked quietly in tho cato and
looked in at the kitchen door before en-
tcring. He was delighted to sec that his
mother was asleep. Stepping into the
kitchen, his bare feet made no sound upon
the floor Putting his pals upon the
table, he YVES about to go out into the
yard and explode his cracker when the
croak of the crow attracted his attention.
Looking in the direction of the stove, he
saw the head of the snake projecting be
meath the hearth.
The sight frightened him and he backed
slowly out into the yard The snake was
now slowly gliding toward his mother.
He was afraid to awaken her for fear that
she might be bitten. Then an inspiration
came to him. Said he to himself:
"Musha, but I'll blow you into snither'
Gems, mo beauty
Taking a match from his pocket he
scratched it upon the fence and applied
tllc name 10 INC Gnu VI tHc hicSiaOh0i
stem. While the powder in the end was
splitting out sparks he went to the door
and rolled tho big firecracker in tho direc-
ton of the snake. The snake saw it com
ing, and coiling itself quickly struck its
deadly fangs into tho red jacket of the
cracker. There was moment of intense
suspense on tho part of the boy. but be
fore the reptile could withdraw its head
an explosion cnsucd which blew tho head
less, lifelcss body Of tho snake across the
stove, shook the shanty to its founda-
tions and startled Mrs Finn so that she
fell over backwards in her chair upon the
floor As she regained her feet, pale and
breathless, she caught a glimpse Of her
grinning son in the yard. Grabbing the
broom in her hand she started after him,
exclaiming as she did SO:
"Aha, aha! mo daddy buck, so ye're
BLOWN up the shanty wild yer divilish
powdther, arc yer? Fax, yell think tn
Ould By himself had ye whin lay hoult
o ye. so ye willl'
The bees hummed, the old hen clucked
to her brood, the sun lay hot upon the
meadows, and down the Old Point road
ran little Mike pursued by his irate
other-Evening Sun.