The Delta independent., 1888-08-14

The raft was propelled by long pole,
Out into the muddy waters of the pond
Mickey urged the raft while the crow
flew around in wide circles overhead.
The raft floated and behaved beautiful
ly. 1t rode the troubled waters like
Mrs. McGee's drake. The floating
domestic menagerie was getting along
swimmingly until that notorious
gossip. Mrs. Murphy looked out of
the kitchen window and saw the raft
She uttered yell of terror and ex-
claimed:
God save us! there's that larrup
Mickey Finn hoatin' around on a big
boord wild goats an dogs; an phwat's
thin little yallor things on tn boordP
Musha, but thare's goslings! Run,
Paddy, an tell his mother"
In less than five minutes all the resi-
dents of the island were on the margin
of the pond. including the elder Firms.
Mrs. Finn was in a paroxysm of fear
lest her son should bo drowned. while
her husband contented himself with
brandishing stout hickory stick IN
Mickey's direction and threatened to
use it if he did not ''stheer tn boat
ashore"
In the meantime the sluicc gate Of
the pond had been lifted in order to
relieve the dam of too much pressure.
The raft swung around into tho cur
rent made by the sucking sluice gate.
The dog began to howl and tug at his
cord The goslings ran hither and
thither upon the raft and their feeble
peeping wrung Mrs. Finn's heart with
anguish.
"Ah! werra, werra! me goslin' sill go
down tn mill race!"
Ali the time Mickey was working
with all his might with the pole, and
at last succeeded in getting the raft
out of the current Encouraged by his
mothers pleadings, and frightened by
his fathers threats he poIed the raft
toward the shore on which his parents
were standing The water was fall
ing rapidly, and tho raft caught upon
a post. Before little Mike could re-
lease his ark from its precarious posi-
tion it began to cant alarmingly.
The dog became alarmed. and break
ing loose. sought refuge near the billy.
excitement had preserved his equani-
his territory and bowled him into the
pOud. AAS lOuscu I'LL 10
paroxysm of rage. She shook her fist
in the direction of the billy and shout
ed hoarsely while the rain beat down
on her unprotected head;
"Wait till ye come ashore. me laddy
buck, wild yer wicked horns! Won't
fix ye, though! Won't batc your head
in wild me ist!'
By this time q clothes line had been
procured and the raft showed signs of
breaking up.
Mr.. Finn was becoming alarmed for
the safety of his boy. and he cried out
as he whirled the clothes line around
his head:
Nov. Mickey, grab hold o this an
we'll pull ye ashore Niver moind tn
animus!'
But our hero was made of more
horioc stuff than to desert his mena-
gerie. He tied the rope around the
nanny's body and she was. drawn by
dozen willing hands. kicking and
splashing through the water. Here the
rope flew through the air again and lit
tie Mike proceeded to lasso the billy.
To this the billy had pronounce ced OBJ
jeotfona Despite his struggles, how
ever, the rope was secured around his
horns, and with "heave ho altogeth-
er!" the angered animal was jerked in
to the water and towed ignominiously
ashore. He landed dripping. but mad
as a hornet. The crowd parted re.
spectfully to lot him 60 through. but
Mrs Finn. forgetful Of her usual eau
ton. ran up to the goat and shook her
fist before his glowing eyes. There
was a cry of alarm from the crowd,
a commingling of laughter
and cries ofterror. glimpse
of flying skirts and rampant object
with wavery horns and dripping
beard. Then the skirts disappea ared
over the hill. and the "dIvil wild wick
ed horns" faded away into dim speck
against the eastern horizon in grim
pursuit.
Mickey put the goslings in his pock-
ct secured board from the raft, which
was fast breaking up. and swan
ashore. His father received him
warmly. In fact, SO hearty and un-
was his welcome that Mr..
Finn's horny hand were stung by the
force OF his punishment. There was a
time when Mickey would have cried
at such treatment from the hands of his
father, but that time had now gone
by. Secure in the rectitude of his own
motives he bore this little misunder-
standing with fortitude and wended
his way homeward. He found the
door closed and the billy standing
guard. After securing this intracta-
bic animal the kitchen door was open
cd by his mother. Little Mike then
hung his wet clothing before the fire
to dry. As the steam began to rise
from the wet garments there were
signs of amin alton in the trousers, tho
pockets bulged. and plaiDtive peep
ing arose in the kitchen. Mickey rails
cd himself in his trundle bed-he had
only one suit of clothes-and
listened. Then he jumped to his feet
and ran Into the kitchen wrapped in q
quilt.
"Faix,' said he, with quiet grin,
Il forgot t tai the yaller goslin's
out O. me pockets!'