The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-05-09
MICKEY SAVES HIS DAD.


above the cymbal changing Of the maple 5
bare branches. above the chestnut s
hoarsc complaining, above the creaking
of the oak and the whisper of the laurel
bush. sounded the voice Of the mighty
Pine. the thundercr. Deep into the hills
crest had he thrust his foot, now moe
casined with snow. His foothold was
firm When the tempest srote him his
huge body swayed. he tossel his great
arms against the nights bilckness and
sang his song of tHumph-a song 40 deep.
80 profound, so awful that the laurel
bush over which he cast a kindly shadow
IN the summers MONDAY tembed
IN every limb and expected to be
crushed. But this Goliath OF the
woods was not singing his death
song. He swung back and forth, to be
sure, and never before had the Forest
Chief been called upon ion such an effort
in natures chorus. But he was equal to
It. All the fbers of his mighty heart
were strained, his clinging toes were
loosened from the rock, his great. sway
ing. sinewy arms writhed in agony. But
each pendant, slender needle did double
duty, and when their 100000 rusthngs
were united the deep toned, reverberant
voice OF the King Pine was as the hoarse
thunder Of the sea. 1t was only al inter-
yals that the pine roarcd. Thore were
were times when his voice was lullaby,
soft and soothing rs that ne had sung Oh
summer afternoons when crows perched
in his hair and called TO their mates IN
Stumpy field For three days did the
King Pine shake the wood with his thun-
der tones and hush 1t to rest with his lul-
labv. Then the great maestro decreed the
festival at an end He leashod the winds
He tore the black clouds into fragments
He sent down the silent sunbcams TO start
the sap flowing in the veins of the King
Pine. And he. this Hercules Of the forest,
tossed his green crest and sang low
soothing symphonies
Scarcely stones throw from the King
Pine stood the Finn shanty. When the
great storm came Mr.. Finn was i'll Of a
fever. On the Sunday night when the
storm began, carly in the evening Mrs.
Finn had left her husbands bedside and
gone to the back door to look at the sky
As she lifted the latch gust OF wind
swept around the corner Of the house and
dashed dcluae OF rain in her face. Mrs.
Finn shook her boy Mickey, who was
asleep in the rocking chair before the fire
Wake up, BY" said she. 9Th night
is as black as drove iv black hogs, IN
III rains comm down in washtubs full.
Hay We tn nanny in tn CELLAR
No mother replied Mickey sleepily,
rubbing his eyes and yawning, she's out
in her barrel foIninst Ia fnce
"AL tn dear" replied Mrs. Finn.
AN tn wather peltin her Shure her
milk'l be all wather III III mornin'. Bring
her in TIA cellar; that dear, where she'll
be dhry"
Mrs. Finn had forgotten to mention the
billy, probably because lac had no tactical
value and possibly on account Of his un-
digrified conduct on one OF two memorable
occasions But little Mike didn't forget
him After lac had rescued the nanny
from her leahy barrel le went back after
her consort. The elements, however, had
not subducd the billys spirit, and it was
only after halt an hour OF desperate strug.
Cling that the obstinate old he goat was
locked in the cellar and the latch fastened
Even then he butted the door in vain
effort to regain his freedom Mickey's
sbins were barked In the struggle, his
hands were cut and his trousers torn.
Mrs. Finn raised her bands in horror
when her boy returned.
"Arrah. bad luck t that black divvle
wild tn wicked horns Fax. didn't hear
III shiloo We let out whin he dhruv ye
aein the hnce' Musha. take tn ak an
bate in the head iv him Ike keg o nails
Do. Mickey, that S a dear, tn murtherin'
vagabones LUX at III way he's spillin'
yer hearts blood an peelin' Yer shns'
Faith, III blow him up wild nitro glycer
ane tn morrer, SO | will, an I'll DO let
hvel"
But Mickey only laughed He liked
goat OF spirit, he said, and so he washed
his wounds and seated himself before the
fire to mend his trousers, he being
mighty handy wild tn nadle, as Mrs
Finn had told Mrs. OBrien more than once
Mrs. Finn resumed her vigil beside hei
sick husband and Mickey dropped asleep
in tho chair with his feet ON the stone
hearth.
At 12 o'clock Mr.. Finn called feebly for
water, and when lie had cooled his
parched tongue Mrs. Finn parted the cur
tain and looked out upon the night. The
wind had veered and the rain was frozen
into snow The fakes flew against the
pane and melted leaving little wet trails
behind them as they ran downward. The
shutters began to bang and the frail door
to groan on its hinges as the shoulder Of
the storm hesved against it, AS the gale
increased the snow forced its way beneath
the door and formed into little drift
upon the floor The invisible fingers OF
the wind tore brick from the chimney
top and dashed it rafting down the loose
shingles Little Mike awoke with start
and joined his mother in the sick room
She was kneeling before crucifix AT