Wichita eagle., 1888-10-02
MRS. FINN SOLD IT.

6NOuCSu mrs LII, as Stlo StOCu IL Iue OOOI VI
her shanty. Farmer Deyo, who was sitting
on his wagon seat and driving along the Old
Point road, drew rein and replied:
"What kind of goat is it?"
sits big billy, and kinder, more pace
bic animal ye niver seen. Fax, he'll ate out
O yer hand, SO he will Hes as big as a calf
an it's broken till harness, he is He'll make
mighty foine horse fur yer little by, if ye
hav' one, an if not ye might use him fur
peddlin' turnips. liusha, but he'd drag a
wagon load o turnips up steep hill an
divil whip ye'd be afther usin' OF him at
ALL"
''How much will you take for the goats"
said for the farmer.
'.WeN, III take it out in thrade Cir me
bushel o turnips and two bushels O. potatys
an cabbage or two an tn goats yours"
Farmer Deyo reflected moment and then
he concluded the bargain by carrying the
produce into the shanty and dumping it in
one corner upon the floor.
"Now, where's the goat 2" said he.
Here he is in the yard My by Mickey
hobbled him this rnornin' so he wouldn't be
runnin' wild in tn road He was afeerd tn
wagons might run over him an break his
legs He's that quiet and like lamb he
0
wagon comm, Deed he wouldn't, sir"
The big gray bearded billy was tied in the
backyard with a stout piece Of clothes hne.
By walking around the stake to which he was
tied, in vain effort to release himself, he
had twisted the rope around the stake SO that
he had only six feet OF play. As the farmer
approached the goat eyed him with a certain
degree of mistrust. SO plainly did suspicion
fl,a hat
of the goats real character began to dawn on
the farmer.
Did understand YOU to say that the goat
was gentle?" said he to Mrs. Finn.
Faith, you did, sir. Has as harmless as a
suckin baby"
Emboldened by this assurance the farmer
approached the goat with a conciliatory ges-
ture and turnip in his hand. Evidently the
the billy was not hungry that gladstone Au-
gust afternoon, for when the farmer stag
gered to his feet with cut in the back of his
head, caused by violent contact with the
ground, the turnip still remained in his
grasp The farmers blood was up now, for,
aided as he was by the rope which confined
the goat, by skillful movement he threw
the animal upon the ground and sat upon his
body, while Mrs. Finn tied his legs. Then
the farmer and Mrs. Finn to tho wagon. As
the farmer drove away the children Of the
neighborhood gathered round the shanty,
and in hushed whispers said:
!What will Mickey say when he comes
home an his goat is gomez
Aye, what indeed! This was the thought
that occurred to Mrs. Finn as the faint and
dolorous ma-a-a-ing of the billy died away
in tho .iictapoa ba triad t, cooonla haroaIf
by calling to recollection the many insults
she had suffered at the horns Of the frisky
billy. But even these irritating thoughts
could not drive away the knowledge that her
boy would be heartbroken when he learned
of his loss. And SO, as propitiatory offer
ing, she decided to boil two duck eggs for his
supper and to give him saucerful OF rasp-
berry jam. Even after making this resolu-
ton Mrs. Finn put On her bonnet and started
out in pursuit of the wagon in order to bring
the goat back. But when she reached the
first elevation in the road she caught fleet
ing glimpse of the wagon disappearing In a
cloud OF dust, and during rhe remainder of
the afternoon those baleful words kept ring
ing in her ears:
''What will Mickey say7'
Never had an afternoon seemed so long to
Mrs. Finn. 4 dozen times she went too the
door and looked anxiously down the road fer
the appearance of her boy. So restless did
she become that she ran across the street to
get some consolation. Scarcely, however,
had she told the story to her friend than
Mrs. O'Bren exclaimed:
''What viii Mickey say7"
The shadows were lengthening-in the val
ley when little Mike came up the road whis-
Ting and swinging his books. His mother met
him at the door with a smile OF more than
usual kindness.
''W ould ye loile little swatenates9" said
she.
Would a-duck swim7" he replied, licking
his lips
Mrs. Finn watched her boy narrowly while
he ate the dainty. He had scarcely consumed
half the dish when Jack Doolan burst into
the sharty and exclaimed:
Your goats goneI"
''Wneres" said little Mike, strrting up in
alarm.
Away of T. Cahforny, guess. A man
TUX him IN q wagon
''You go home t yer mother, Jack Doolan.
Tn goats only gone t Hurley" said Mrs
Finn, moving toward Jack with threaten
ing gesture.
out into the yard 20 satisfy himself that the
III tidmgs were true. Then he went to bed
and refused to DE comforoed The moon
came up and looked in at the window, and
little Mike lay with wide open eyes looking
at it, and wondering how far it was TO Hur-
ley. He had a dim perception that the VII
lage was far toward the setting sun.
He heard his mother and father retire for
f-h+ a-i 70
Softly he arose and put On his clothes Then
he listened until the heavy breathing Of his
parents satisfied him that they were asleep
Five minutes. later lie was out IL the road
with his face turned toward the CatskilI
mountains Hurley, the Mecca OF his hopes,
was seven miles away. but he didn't know is.
He had vague idea thae that old Dutch VII
lage was very far indeed toward the sunset,
and he had resolved 20 so there. He ran al
be WIS out OF breath; then he walked
while.
Il seemed % his boyish tzncy as be locked
up into the heavens TINT the angeisn1ust have
been sprinkling the sky with golden marbles,
the stars were so thics, ard as be went the
kstysiids sang their nocturnal songs for him,
and the tree toaas chnped never So loudly
before He whistied little While, bu. tie
silence of tie breeding night oppressed him
50 that be could not puckes his EyS The
lights q Kingston came into v.sw. Re ran
through the deserted streets. oRiy Stepping
once TO ask nan whom he NEE:
"Mister, where's Eurieyf'
"why. sonny. Hurley is miles away.
You're not going there tonight, arc youi
Iss II O'Clock now
"y@. sir; ] am go4n' either my thy goat
do YOU know that II is q very iorsly