The Daily times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1886-1889, 1888-08-07
MICKEY FINS RATHER.

airy. the Dlauto ot EIdSo III 't"AiPy A"'"
gave up their juices to the thirsty ar
Tho leaves i'm Lindslcy's wood were stirred
bv no 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 the Finn shanty hung its
blooming cups and longed for the refresh.
ing dew In all the wide expansc OF
landscape which could be seen from the
back stoop of the shanty, there was no
,icn of lifc save the drowsy hmm of bees,
and hero and there butterfly spreading
its golden sails in the sunlight.
Mrs Finn formed q charming picture as
she sat in her husbands arm chair, just
inside the kitchen door IL was universally
acknowledged that sho was the handsom-
est woman on the island. Her complexion
was clear. and her checks just tinged with
red like the cheek of am OK heart cherry
Now her long black -lashes hid the gray
blue eyes. and her strong well knit hands
las in her lap, which was covered with an
apron fresh from the ironing board. Mrs.
Finn was tired She had scrubbed the
floor. blackencd the stove, washed the
dishes. ironcd her husbands two flannel
shirts. and. lullcd by tho somnolencc in
tho air she had dropped asleep. The
muscles Of her face contracted rs an in
quisitivc fly lit upon her check. but tho
buzzing Of the humble bee. which blum
dored in at the door. did not disturb her
slumbcrs There was no kindly spirit TO
warn the sleeping woman OF coming
danger Yet death in a hideous and re-
voting form was lurking in the grass
within 100 feet of the shanty
Just across the dusty road from the
-. . rto t-gIl
and hidden by the long grass which grew
upon either side. there was rattlesnakes
nest The old he rattlesnake 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 Mike Firms SOW
had bitten off two of the snakes rattles
when the SOW had encountered the snake
ono morning before breakfast, and now
the reptiles sinister rattle was not as
loud as it had been. On this particular
morning the snake had made its way out
into tho road and lay i'll the sand enjoying
the heat
Mike Clancy drove lazly along behind
lis canal mule Under the canvas in tho
holy Of the wagon lay 200 herring, which
Mike was pcddling out to tho housewives
IL fNlffN lSllnNs w iltL lic HOlSC IttIEIN
the vicinity of the snake the reptile raised
its ophidian head and Missed. Tho mule
stopped and refused TO proceed Mike did
not Sec the snake. and so he whipped tho
mule in q cruel manner but 1t only raised
mp on its hind legs and threatened TO fall
back upon the wagon.
God save 70, Molly; no wondher ye
Ncuiin't re wan whin sc had a dhirty
RATHER forninst yc. But Ill fix him" said
Mike Jumping from the wagon and throw
ing huge stone at the snake. The mule
turned quickly around and ran down the
road at a cantcr spillng the herring along
the highway. Mike forgot all about the
snake. and started in pursuit, bewaillng
his luck.
"Faix." said he. II dunno is snakes or
meulcs tn worst
In the meantime the RATHER had Slid
across the road and up the green bank
into the yard Of the Finn shanty Here
an old hen saw the crawling snake. Cluck
ing an alarm to her brood, the hen rufied
the feathers Oh her neck and called away
her brood from the danger.
The tame crow now made its appear
ance, hopping around the corner Of the
shanty. Its quick eye espied the RATHER.
The crow uttered hoarse, discordant
croak. and ileu up on the fence. While
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 a warning Mss at the
crow but the bird only cooked its head
on one side and croaked its disapprovai OF
the whole proceedings.
Whether it was the smell of the steam
rising from the cabbage in the pot upon
the stove, or whether it was fear OF the
crow which caused the snake to crawl
over the doorstep and into the shanty,
will probably never DO known. However,
with sinuods gliding motion and with
glittering eyes the snake entered the
kitchen. Just as it arrived III front of
Mrs. Finn. who was still sound asleep III
her chair, a fly lit upon Mrs. Firms nose.
With an Involuntary movement she lifted
her hand to brush off the insect. The
snake. evidently regarding the movement
Us hostile one. gently shook its rattles
and ilattening its head, coiled its body in
all attitude preparatory TO striking.
Its head was raised two feet from the
floor. and its eyes, shining like black jew
els, were fastened upon the sleeping
woman But she was all unconscious of
the reptiles nearness. Her hand fell
again to its original position in her lap.
her face assumed tho quiet of rcpose, and
she was again of into dreamland. The
snake swayed back and forth, slowly I'M
coiled itself and resumed it's way toward
the stove.
Just at this time the crow made its APP
pearance in tho doorway IL croal,cd o
harsh protest against tho snakes inva-
sion. and, jumping on tho stove hearth.
pccrcd around until it discovered the
snake under tho stove. Tho snake lay
perfectly quiet upon tho oilcloth, the
bees hummed in the meadow outside. and
tho butterflies flashed in the sunlight
lust as they had done before Mrs Finn
had dropped asleep in her chair
Il will DO necessary to tell, in order that
tho reader may thoroughly appreciate the
situation, that Mickey Finn had gone out
In the vicinity Of the Devils lake that
vnor7,iny with his foth hers dinner pail and