Democratic messenger., 1888-03-24

Mr. brown catnc up anu went IN, TOD. I.o
heard Mrs. Finn say: "iiavc yc amy slc,lsg'
"Yes, madam, plenty of them"
"Show me wceny wan fur fifty cints.r
81 haven'tn real scrviccable new sled for
flfty cents, ma'am, but here Is n second hand
ono with whole rounds which can warrant
70 poke anything on tho hill"
Mira Finn hesitatcd a moment She
wanted to buy, NO many things that lay
around In profusion, that tho sled, even IL IL
was OF surprising swiftncss, did not satisfy
her. There were NJ many colorrl candies in
the jars, such quantities of golden oranges.
such large and fragrant lunches Of rc,l la
nanas, that she hcsitatc,l a long while lefore
paying over the fifty cents for the sled. Al
last the bargain was consummated, and Mrs.
Finn left the store dragging the sled behind
her over the cracking snow. Following her
at distance came Jack Brown. Mrs. Finn
passed tho limc-kiln where Tim Grogan was
shoveling Goals upon the fro. She wished
that some Of the Goals were In her cellar.
Brown followed her a. closely rs he could
without incurring the danger Of detection,
and saw her cutter tho door Of the shanty.
Brown stood looking at the shanty minute,
admiring the beauty of the iciclc mellowcd
by tho moonlight. Then he turned and
walked rapidly back TO the village.
Mrs. Finn found her husband seated In O
rocking chair before tho fire and groaning
with pain. lie had fallen upon the road
when coming home and seemed to he injured
internally. Mr.. Finn was out Of breath and
also out Of patience. Hc was bruised, too.
Mrs. Finn produced the little black bottle
from tho closet, which was kept thcrc for
purely medicinal purposes. As this was
medicinal occasion, little whisky from tho
bottle was poured into tho teapot. Then the
kettle, which was breathing out white vapor
into tho room, was lifted from the stove, and
just enough water added 10 tho whisky to
preserve its integrity and 20 take the chill
OF. Lifting the cup from the table, Mrs.
Finn approached her husband, who was rock
ing back and forth In evident great pain.
Holding the cup under his nose 80 that tho
grateful aroma arose and penetrated 70 tho
inmost flbcrs Of his being, Mrs. Finn said:
"Taste this, that's dear. Ye needn't mako
yer mug at II, for It's tho ralc ould stun.
Twas taken from Mike Reagan's own bottle
round tn corner. Sure there's more bades
ON 1t than yc could count wild telescope
"Ayc, but I'm hurted inside, Biddy,"
groancd Mr.. Finn.
"Ah, ye may well bc hurtcd afthcr yer fall
But II yen stifren up in yer chair q bit an
let drap o. this medicine run down yer
troat, yen bc cured before another gripc
gets yc."
II may have been the coaxing manner OF
Mrs. Finn, AMI il may have been the smell Of
the whisky that rousci her husband. At any
rate the medicine disappeared. II had an
immediate and magical effect. 1t brought
flush Ia Mr. Firms cheek, II looscnc,l his
tongue, 1t cured his internal injury and COM
for;cd his wounded spirit There was no ini-
mediate necessity ON the part Of Mrs Finn
FOR taking the medicine, but there was
malaria in the mir VI cooney Island. and 50
she took u drop Of the medicine herself rs
preventive The two elder Firms then re-
tired for the night.
On his return to the village Jack Brown
went 10 the pawnbroker's and redeemed the
shawl. He visited candy store and pur-
chased five big oranges, seven bananas, two
quarts of peanuts, vnc pound Of can'ly, sono
tobacco for Mrs Finn's husband, and new
hrierwood pilr with brass cover lie also
went 10 mi millncry store and bought q gor-
gco,is new bonnet for Mrs. Finn with flower
garden upon it. These articles were placed
in big bundle and carried by Brown TO the
Finn shanty. The bundle was placed under
the big iciclc ON tho back s;oop. Brown NJ
tired to u little distance aud began throwing
snowballs at the ice spcar II stood tho
shock IL several balls, but ut last one that
was packed harder than the rest struck tho
iciclc, and the stalactite fell upon the stoop,
breaking INTO a thousand different pieces.
"fwhats that, Biddy:" asked Mike Finn,
as he started up from his bed in alarm.
Its only tho iciclc fnllin', agra. Shure
til winds blowin' like u harrycanc."
Mr.. Finn crawlcd out of bed, clothed rs he
was in very light attire. and, opening the
door Oh n crack, looked out upon the Stoop.
lie uttered an exclamation Of surprise, then
dragged the bundle into Oh. house. lie csprcad
the narvels out upon the kitchen floor. Ills
wife looked over the fooilnarl of the bed ia
astonishmcnt. Said she, Il wondhcr who
sent all thin illigant things
III We are the sinsiblc woman tako yc T.
bc," sail Mr. Finn, ~ hc fishrd out the new
pil'c and tobacco. ''ye won't bother yer head
about where the bundle came from. Shurc
God is good to tn poIf."
In the morning when tho light bcgan 10 H.
lunIinc cooncy Island, Mickey got out Of bed
and crcpt with palpitating heart 10 the door.
At the sight of tho sled and the knick knacks
lac grinncd, and his mouth opened from ear "
ear. lie tried vainly Ia cram all tho oranges
aid PEANUTS into his baskets at une time, but
was forced 10 hid' some Of the peanuts under
the betl, where the crow found them nn hour
later and skIlllully cracked tho shells.
When Mrs. FINN went out on tho doorstep
10 call her hoy 10 breakfast she saw him lying
flat upon his sled and coming down thc slopc
Of StuInpy field like u meteor Behind him
was long trail Of peanuts, and bounding
along on either sido Of the track, running q
race with the sled were two big golden
oranges. As tears Of JOY gathered in Mrs.
Firms eyes she wiped them with tho corner
Of her apron AMI muttcred 10 herself:
''Musha, LUX at that nowi Faix, God Ia
good L III poorI'-Ncw York Sun.