The Washington critic., 1889-01-07
A LESSON IN PUGlLISM.
From Me Nele York Ecenlnn srn.

The Finn family were at supper. r G
light from the kerosene lamp on the
homely mantle fell upon a modest re-
past The chief dish was a smoking pot
of old gold suppawn. Mrs. Finn was
bustling back and forth between the
stove and the table ladling potatoes out
of pot bubbling gleelully on the fire,
arranging the dishes and performing all
those little wousewifely offices which at
a mothers hands add SAVIOR to the most
meagre meal. Mr.. Finu was helping
himself to second plate of cabbage,
and little Mike was making haste to Sc
cure his share of the succulent vegetable
before 1t should be too late.
The meal proceeded in silence for q
few minutes, and then Mrs. Finn said.
II suppose y'll be tnchin tn by no W T.
fight agin tn supper is cleared away,
Mike Finn. Musha, but ye'll make him
skull-cracker, so ye will. Amt ye
'shamed o. yersel' ye big brute, tachin'
! a little by like that & be putin up his
fishts loike bruiser till livery wan he
meelsT ''Arrah, thare ye are agin," "
replied her husband with his mouth full
Of cabbage.
"Shure I'm only tachin him how to
defnd himseP. An devils tn lad on
Cooncy Island iv his weight an inches
will sthand up agin him, give an take;
amt that so, Mickey? mickey nodded
his head aillrmatively, for his mouth was
too full for utterance. Then, with an
eagerness that almost choked him, he
said.
"Jack Fadden has bloody nose, an
n black eve, gev him this mornin'.
Twas a rough an tumble. | gev him
tn fut, an settled him wild me two
hans"
An anxious look came into Mickey's
eyes, however, as he went on to relate to
his father how Patsy Fogarty, the terror
of Sanity Hollow, was coming to school
on purpose to do battle with him. The
fame of little Mikes tistic successes had
gone abroad in the land, and Fogarty
was coming to the little red school house
TO whip the champion Of Cooney Island.
Mr.. Finn, after hearing the momentous
intelligence, became thoughtful. He
slipped his tea slowly, and considered
within himself what would be the best
line of fighting for his boy to pursue. FOL
he realized that the struggle would be Q
fierce one, and the honor of the house OF
| ElHH DluSb DC uuy tDob
Looking keenly at his son, Mr.. Finn
said:
You're not freckened O. Fogerty
Mickey ~
"Indade. thin, I'm not"
"Fwhat kind iv fighter is hep
"He mostly fights at arms length"
ooh, no; thin yen have t tackle hin
rough. an tumble"
BY this time the table had been cleared
away. While Mrs. Finn retired to the
clubhouse to wash the dishes, Mr.. Finr
gave his boy few lessons in the art o.
physical offense and defense.
Nov, you sthand there and Pll sthant
here said he to his son.
"Pll be Fogerty an you'll be yerseP
put yer toe agin my toe an LUX at mt
eye. Niver moind me fishts. Kape yel
eye on mine. Now, whin [ r'ach ou
me right you throw up your arrum an
catch TIL blow an"
Bangl came the fiat of Mr.. Finn
hand alongside of Mickey's head anC
headlong flew the boy into the wood-box
dislodging two dominick hens and ;
rooster, who flew around the room
squawking loudly.
Little Mike got out of the woodbo,
slowly and just trihe groggy. A piec
of skin as large as q cent was missing
from his nose. But his blood was up a
he came up to the scratch a second time
"a few welts loike thatll make "
tough, sonny" said his father "Ye see
ye were not ready wild yer left whin
welted ye. Now come onr'
Mickey was like cat for agility II,
jumped back and avoided two blow
which would undoubtedly have sent hin
over the stove. His eyes glittered like
those of tiger kitten about to spring
He fought entirely on the defensiv,
until his father, in an unguarded mo
ment, had dropped his guard. Then
like an infuriated bull, he rushed in
seized one of his fathers legs, and lif,in!
it from the ground toppled him owe
backward, and fell like a ton of coal oi
his head, jarring the shanty to it
foundations and bringing the stovepip
to the floor. Before he could rise tn
young demon mounted him in cloud o
SCOT and began raining blows upon hi
face until he roared with pain. To ado
to the confusion Mrs. Finn appeared
upon the scene with her broom, whicl
she used without discrimination upol
both of the combatants until they wer
glad to escape to the yard.
"Bad luck t ye, me young bull, v
hay tn skin scratched aft me face.
roared Mr.. Finn, looking around in th
darkness for club.
cts square we are thin, father re
piled little Mike from the other side o
the fence. "Shure you skinned me nos
firstp
"Yis, an I'll skin yez both wild til
sthove leg comm in," said Mrs. Finn, a
she stood in the doorway.