Milford chronicle., 1888-08-31

buzzing of the humble bee, which blum
dered in at the door, did not disturb her
slumbers. There was no 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 the
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 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
one 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 the road and lay in the sand enjoying
the heat.
Mike Clancy drove la8ily along behind
his canal mule Under the canvas in the
body of the wagon lay 200 herring, which
Mike was peddling out to the housewives
of Cooney Island When the horse reached
the vicinity Of the snake the reptile raised
its ophidian head and hissed. The mule
stopped and refused to proceed. Mike did
not see the snake. and so he whipped the
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 We
wouldn't so wan whin ye had dhirty
RATHER forninst We. But I'll fix himl" said
Mike, jumping from the wagon and throw
ing a huge stone at the snake. The mule
turned quickly around and ran down the
road at a canter, spilling the herring along
the highway. Mike forgot all about the
snake, and started in pursuit, bewailing
his luck.
sFaix," said he, II dunno is snakes or
meules tn worstp
In the meantime the rattler 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 ruffed
the feathers on 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. It's quick eye espied the rattler.
I The crow uttered q hOarse, discOrdant
/ croalS. and flew up on the fence. While
/ the Stake 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 hiss at the
. crow, but the bird only cooked its head
( on one side and croaked its disapprOval 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,
viii probably never be known. However,
with a sinuous gliding motion and with
glittering eyes the snake entered the
kitchen Just as it arrived in front Of
Mrs. Finn, who was still sound asleep in
her chair, 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
as a hostile one, gently shook its rattles,
and, hattening its head, coiled its body in
an 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 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 the quiet Of repose, and
she was again of into dreamland. The
snake swayed back and forth slowly un-
coiled itself, and resumed its way toward
the stove.
Just ut this time the crow made its ap-
pearance in the doorway. 1t croaked q
harsh protest against the snakes inva-
sion, and, jumping on the stove hearth
peered around until it 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 dane before Mrs. Finn
had dropped asleep n her chair.
It will be necessary to tell, in order that
the reader may thoroughly appreciate th'
situation, that Mickey Finn had gone out
in the vicinity of the DEVILS lake that
morning with his fathers dinner pail anC
his mothers two quart molasses pail il
search of raspberries. He was returning
ND the Old Point road with the pals boil
filed with fruit when he met his frienC
Jack Doolan. Doolan carried with him a
five cent frectacker, which had somehow
escaped being exploded on the Fourth OF
July.
Little Mike offered Doolan a small mud
turtle about the size of silver dollar
which he carried in his trousers pocket,
!
refused the offer.
Il don't want none O. yer ould mud tur
kles. said Doolan; "but if yell gi me
! wan O. thin pals full O. berries I'll gi' yC
tn cracker.
Mickey demurred to this proposal, but
Doolan dilated on the wonderful proper
ties of the cracker and how it would
elbow a tomato can up agin tn sky, anC
at last the bargain was consummated. The
berries were poured out into Doolan's hat
, and while he ate them by the handfuls
, little Mike examined one end of thI
, cracker with an old jack knife to see how
much powder there was in it. Then ht
resumed his hOmeward way, wondering
how high the cracker would blow the tur
tie II tho animal were placed ON top O
: the tomato can when the explosion tool
place.
Meanwhile the sun had risen higher to
! ward the zenith. The breeze still delaye,
: its coming, and the heated air had dranl
+ up tho water in the brook until there wa
Z scarcely enough left to wet the stones
Little Mike was afraid that he would b
censured for the loss Of his berries, an'
so he snealxed quietly in the gate an'
I looked in at the kitchen door before en-
! tefing. He was delighted to see that hi
: mother was asleep. Stepping into tn
! kitchen, his bare feet made no sound upoi
the floor. Putting his pals upon th
! table, he was about to go out into tn
. yard and explode his cracker when tn
croalk of the crow attracted his attention
Looking in the direction of the stove, h
saw tho head of the snake projecting be
meath the hearth.
The sight frightened him and he baeke
slowly. out into the yard. The snake wa
now slowly gliding toward his mother
+ He was afraid to awaken her for fear tha
] she might be bitten. Then an inspiration
l came to him. Said he to himself:
. "Musha, but III blow you into smitheI
j eens, me beautyp