San Antonio daily light. [volume] (San Antonio, Tex.) 1886-1907, 1888-05-12
MICKEY SAVES HIS DAD.

above the cymbal changing OF the maple
bare branches, above the chestnut's
hoarse complaining, above the creaking
of the oak and the whisper Of the laurel
bush, sounded the voice of the mighty
Pine, the thunderer. Deep into the hills
crest had he thrust his foot, now moe
casined with snow. His foothold was
firm. When the tempest smote him his
huge body swayed. he tossed his great
arms against the nights blacknsss and
sang his song Of triumph-a song so deep,
so profound, so awful, that the laurel
bush over which he cast kindly shadow
in the summers MONDAY trembled
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 for 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 10000 rustlings
were united the deep toned, reverberant
voice Of the King Pine was as the hoarse
thunder Of the sea. It was only at inter
walls that the pine roared. There were
were times when his voice was lullaby,
soft and soothing as that he had sung on
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 it to rest with his lul-
laby. Then the great maestro decreed the
festival at an end. He leashed the winds
He tore the black clouds into fragments.
He sent down the silent sunbeams 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 a 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, early 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 a gust of wind
swept around the corner Of the house and
dashed deluge 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, an
tn rains comm down in washtubs full
Hav' We tn nanny in tn CELLAR"
"No, mother" replied Mickey sleepily,
rubbing his eyes and yawning, shes out
in her barrel forninst tn tince."
"Ah, tn dear" replied Mrs. Finn.
can tn wather peltin' her! Shure her
milk'n be all wather in tn mornin. Bring
her in tn cellar; that's dear, where she'll
be dhry."
Mrs Finn had forgotten to mention the
billy, probably because he had no tactical
value and possibly on account Of his I'M
dignifed conduct on one or two memorable
occasions But little Mike didn't forget
him After he had rescued the nanny
from her leaky barrel he went back after
her consort The elements, however, had
not subdued the billy's spirit, and 1t was
only after half 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 a vain
effort to regain his freedom Mickey's
shins were barked in the struggle, his
hands were cut and his trousers torn.
Mrs. Finn raised her hands in horror
when her boy returned.
"Arrah bad luck t. that black divvle
wild tn wicked hornsl Faix, didn't I hear
tn shilloo We let out whin he dhruv ye
agin the fnce! Musha, take tn ak an
bate in the head iv him like key o nails.
Do, Mickey, that's dear; tn murthsrin'
vagabones! LUX at tn way he's Spillin'
yer hearts blood an peelin' yer shins!
Faith, I'll blow him up wild nitro-glycer
ane tn morrer, so l will, an I'll be let
Gvel'
But Mickey only laughed. He liked a
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," Is Mrs.
Finn had told Mrs. OBrien more than once.
Mrs. Finn resumed her vigil beside her
sick husband, and Mickey dropped asleep
in the chair with his feet on the stone
hearth.
At - o'clock Mr. Finn called feebly for
water, and when he had cooled his
parched tongue Mrs. Finn parted the eur
tain and looked out upon the night. The
wind had veered and the rain was frozen
into snow. The fakes few against the
pane and melted, leaving little wot trails