Helena weekly herald. [volume] (Helena, Mont.) 1867-1900, 1888-08-30
MICKEY FINN'S RATHER.


dry, the blades of grass in Stumpy Field
gave up their juices to the thirsty air
The leaves in Lindsley's wood were stirred
by no refreshing breeze, and dust lay six
inches deep on the Old Point road. Ever
the sweet briar bush which stood on The
shady side of the Finn shanty hung its
blooming cups and longed for therefresh
ing dew. In all the wide expanse o.
landscape which could be seen from thu
back stoop of the shanty, there was nC
sign of life save the drowsy hmm of bees
and here and there butterfly spreading
its golden sails in the sunlight.
Mrs. Finn formed charming picture AZ
she sat in her husbands arm chair. lust
inside the kitchen door, It was universally
acknowledged that she was the handsom.
@ ast woman on the island. Her complexion
was clear, and her cheeks just tinged with
| red like the cheek of an OK heart cherry.
Now her long black lashes hid the gray
blue eyes, and her strong, well knit hands
lay in her lap, which was covered with an
apron fresh from the ironing board. Mrs
: Finn was tired. She had scrubbed the
floor, blackened the stove, washed the
dishes, iraned her husbands two flannel
shirts, and, iGlled by the somnolence in
the air, she had dropped asleep. The
muscles of her face contracted as an in
quisitive fly lit upon her cheek, but the
buzzing of the humble bee, which blum
dered in at the door, did not disturb her
slumbers. There was no kindly spirit to
warn the sleeping woman of coming
danger. Yet death in hideous and re-
voting form was lurking in the grass
within 100 feet of the shanty.
Just across the dusty road from the
shanty, in the interstices of stone wall
and hidden by the long grass which grew
upon either side, there was a rattlesnake's
nest. The old he rattlesnake was five feet
long, and it's body was covered with beau.
tiful arabesque markings. Many and
narrow had been the escapes of this rep-
tile from its pursuers. Mike Finn's sow
had bitten off two of the snakes rattles
when the sow had encountered the snake
one morning before breakfast, and now
the reptiles sinister rattle was not as
loud as it had been. On this particular
morning the snake had made its way out
into the road and lay in the sand enjoying
the heat
Mike Clancy drove lazily along behind
his canal mule. Under the canvas in the
body of the wagon lay 200 herring, which
Mike was peddling out to the housewives
of Cooney Island. When the horse reached
the vicinity of the snake the reptile raised
its ophidian head and Kissed. The mule
stopped and refused to proceed. Mike did
not see the snake, and SO he whipped the
mule in a cruel manner, but it only raised
up on its hind legs and threatened TO fall
back upon the wagon.
'God save ye, Molly; no wondher We
wouldn't go wan whin ye had dhirty
rattler forninst ye. But III fix himl" said
Mike, jumping from the wagon and throw
ing huge stone at the snake. The mule
turned quickly around and ran down the
road at canter, spilling the herring along
the highway. Mike forgot all about the
snake, and started in pursuit, bewailing
his luck.
''Faix, said he, II dunno is snakes or
meules tn worstp
In the meantime the rattler had slid
across the road and up the green bank
into the yard of the Finn shanty Here
an old hen saw the crawling shake. Cluck-
ing an alarm to her brood, the hen ru{fed
the feathers on her neck and called awav
her brood from the danger.
The tame crow now made its appear
ance, hopping around the corner of the
shanty. It's quick eye espied the rattler.
The crow uttered a hoarse, discordant
croaka and flew up Oh the fence While
the skake moved across the yard in pur-
suit of the young chickens the crow fol
lowed along the top board of the fence.
Several times during the transit the snake |
raised its head with warning hiss at the |
crow, but the bird only cooked its head |
On one side and croaked its disapproval of |
the whole proceedings.
Whether it was the smell of the steam
rising from the cabbage in the pot upon
5he stove, or whether it was fear of the
crow which caused the snake to crawl
over the doorstep and into the shanty,
will probably never be known. However,
With sinuous gliding nAssion and with
slttering eyes the sn4ke entered the
Kitchen. Just as it &e<1ved in front of
Mrs. Finn, who was sta sound asleep in
ler chair, fly Lit upon Mrs. Finn's nose.
With an involuntary movement she lifted
Ter hand to brush off the insect. The
make, evidently regarding the movement
IS hostile one, gently shook it's rattles,
nd, hattening its head, coiled its body in9
n attitude preparatory to striking.
Its head was raised two feet from the
oor, and its eyes, shining like black jew
Is, were fastened upon the sleeping
7oman. But she was all unconscious Of
he reptiles nearness. Her hand fell
gain to it's original position in her lap,
er face assumed the quiet of repose, and
he was again off into dreamland The
make swayed back and forth, slowly un-
oiled itself, and resumed its way toward
he stove.
Just at this time the crow made its ap-
earance in the doorway. l. croaked
arsh protest against the snakes inva-
on, and, jumping on the stove hearth,
eered around until it discovered the
lake under the stove. The snake lay
erfectly quiet upon the oilcloth, the
ees hummed in the meadow outside, and
le butterflies flashed in the sunlight
LIST as they had done before Mrs. Finn
i'd dropped asleep in her chair
1t Will be necessary to tell, in order that s
le reader may thoroughly appreciate the {
tuation, that Mickey Finn had gone out
the vicinity of the Devils lake that
orning with his fathers dinner pail and 3
s mothers two quart molasses pail in $
arch of raspberries. He was returning /
fthe Old Point road with the pals both !
led with fruit when he met his friend a
ok Doolan. Doolan carried with him a t
e cent frecracker. which had somehow a
capped being exploded ON the Fourth of c
ly. f
Little Mike offered Doolan small mud I
rtle about the size of silver dollar. q
lich he carried in his trousers pocket, q
exchange for the cracker, but Doolan c
fused the offer c
II don't want none O. yer ould mud tur. ;
-, said Doolan; but if yell gi' me
N O thin pals full O berries I'll gi' We
cracker
Mickey demurred to this proposal, but d
olan dilated on the wonderful nronar.