Wichita eagle., 1888-08-10
MICKEY FINN'S RATHER.

dry, the blades of grass IN Stumpy Field
gave UP their juices to the thirsty air.
The leaves i'll Lndsley' s wood were stirred
by 10 refreshing breeze and dust lay six
inches deep on the Old Point road. Even
the sweet briar bush which stood on the
shady side Of tho Finn sha.ty hung its
blooming cups end longed for the refresh
ing dew. In all the wide expanse of
landscape which could be seen from the
back stoop of the shanty, there was 20
sign of life save the drowsy hmm of bees,
and here and there butterfly spreading
lis golden sails in the sunlight.
Mrs linn formed q charming picture as
she sat in her husbands arm chair, just
inside the kitchen door. 1t was universally
acknowledged that she was the handsom-
est 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, we'll knit hands
lay in her lap, which was covered with an
apron fresh from tho ironing board. Mrs.
Finn was tired She had scrubbed the
floor, blackened the stove, washed the
dishes, iroaed her husbands two flannel
shirts, and, lulled by tho somnolence in
the air, she had dropped asleep. The
ouisitive 1y lit upon her cheek, but the
buzzing of the humble bee, which blum
dered in at the door, did not disturb her
Elumbers. There was 40 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 tho
shanty, in the interstices of a stone wall
and hidden by the long grass which grew
upon either side, there was rattlesnake's
nest. The old he rattlesna1e was five feet
long, and its body was covered with beau
tiful arabesque markings. Many and
narrow had been the escapes of this rep
tile from its pUrsuers. Nike Firms SOW
had bitten off two Of the snakes rattles
when tho SOW had encountered the snake
one morning before breakfast, and now
tho 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
Nike was peddhlg 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 mulo
stopped and refused to proceed Mike did
not see the snake, and SO he whipped tho
mule in a cruel manner, but it only raised
up on its hind legs and threatened to fall
back upon the wagon.
"God save We, Molly; no wondher ye
wouldn't go wan whin We had dhirty
RATHER for7linst We. Bat III fix him. said
Mike, jumping from the wagon and throw
ing 4 huge stone at the snake. The mule
turned quickly aroCnd and ran down tho
road at a eonber, splitting the herring along
the highway. Nike forgot all about the
snake, and started IN pursuit, bewailing
his luck.
"Faix,7 said he. 81 dunno is snakes or
meules Til worstr
In the meantime the rattler had slid
across the road and up the green bank
into the yard Of the Finn shanty. Here
al old hen saw-the crawling snake. Chuck
ing an alarm to her brood, the hen ruffed
the feathers on her neck and called away
her brood from the danger
The tnuae CROW now made its appear
ance, hopping around the corner of the
shanty. Its G2ick eye espied the rattler.
The crow uttered hoarse, discordant
CTOfA~ ilI0 ItA VI Oh INC 1blCC- w u.1e
the SHAKE 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 lard only cooked its head
on one side and croaked its disapproyal of
the whole proceedings.
Whether it was tho smell Of the steam
~ Va col in
the stove OF whether it was fear of the
crow which caused the snake to crawl
over the doorstep and into the shauty,
viii probably never DO known. However,
with q sinuoGs gliding motion and with
glittering eyes the snake entered the
kitchen. Just is it arrived in front Of
Mrs. linn, who WIS stil sound asleep in
her chair, fly lit upon Mrs Finn's nose.
With az involuntary movement she lifted
her hand to brush off the insect. The
snake, evidently regarding the movement
as a hostile one, gently shook its rattles,
and, hattening its head, coiled its body in
al attitude preparatory to striking.
It's head was raised two feet from the
floor, and its eyes, shining like black jew
els, were fastened upon tho sleeping
woman. But she was all unconscious Of
the reptiles nea-nesS. Her hand fell
again to its original position il her lap,
her face assumed the quiet Of repose, and
she was again OFF into dreamlSnd. The
snake swayed back and forth, slowly un-
coiled itself, and resumed its way toward
the stove
Just at this sine the crow made its ap-
pearance in the doorway. 1t croaked
harsh protest against the snakes inva-
sion, and, jumping on the stove hearth,
peered around until 1t discovered the
snake under the stove. The snake lay
perfectly quiet upon the oilcloth, the
bees hummed in the meadow outside, and
the butterflies flashed in the sunlight
Just as they had done before Mrs. Finn
had dropped asleep IN her chair
1t will be necessary to tell. in order that
the reader may thoroughly appreciate the
situation. that Mickey Finn had gone out
in the vicinity of the Devils lake that
morning with his fathers dinner pail and
his mothers two quart molasses pail in
search of raspberrieS. He was returning
I'D the Old Point road with the pals both
6fled with fruit when he net his friend
Jack Doolan Dooian carried with him 9
Eve cent firecracker, which had somehow
escaped being exploded on the Fourth of
July.
Little Mike offered Doolan a small mud
surtle about the size of silver dollar
which he carried in his trousers pocket,
In exchange for the cracker, but Doolan
refused the offer.
Il don't want none o. yer ould mud tur-
kles, said Dooian but if vel. gi' me
wan o thin pals full o. berries I'll gP We
tn cracker"