Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1889-05-23

"Niver mo1nd TIA burds, Mickey. You're
sick. Ye got yer fate wet an ye hav' yer
back load O. cowld now. But river moind,
scushie. I'll soon fix ye. Til soak yer
fate IN hot wather and mustard, SO I Will.
Ye shall have dhrop o. hot drink. Whin
ye're IL bed I'll cover ye wild me warrum
fannin pitticoat, ashore. Yen De betsher
in tn mornin'."
But when Mr.. Finn came home in the
evening he was sent off in haste after
'Dr Chorker, the dochter as ant hard on
tn poor," as Mr.. Finn said. For little
Mike had high fever and was raving
about the 'Iittle YaIla burds" which in
fancy he saw sitting on the foot OF his
trundle bed. When tie doctor arrived he
felt of the bounding pulse ana heated
brow of the sufferer.
"I'm afraid it's case of pneumonia"
"NeWmonyar' exclaimed Mrs. Finn in
horror. "Faith ye're mistaken wild ell yer
Parnin'. Theare's no dog afther bitin'
my Mickey. No, no, doohter, dear. Fax
yer smart man, so ye are, an DEVILS the
wan'll deny it; but it's not the neWmonya,
it's not that. Arrah dochter, say it's not
that! Do, dear man! Jist say it's bad
cowla he has jist, an no mOrer'
The doctor smiled at Mrs. Firms mis-
and grave when he looked into the
anxious mothers face raised to his. He
did not violate the truth or his skill as
physician when he replied:
"That's just what ais him, Mrs. Finn.
He has bad could and nothing more"
"Oh, thought ye were foolin' me, doc
ther dear. Settled in his bones, l sup
poser"
'fIn his chest"
"Ah, ha! In his chest is it? Well I'll
soon have il out o. there with fiaxseed.
But, dye know he has something on mis-
mutteriu' an he's that DISTRESSED he does
be kiokin' the nice wsrrum fannin' petit
coat off the bed, SO he does"
"He isn't in love, is he?" joked the
doctor.
"No. It's all about tn little yaila
birds he seen down be Pether Dolan's. l
think If he had one O. thin he'd be cured
entOirely widout tn faxseed."
In few minutes the doctor was in
possession of the whole story about the
canaries. He knew that the sight of one
of the feathered songsters when the boy
awoke from his delirium would do more
to hasten his recovery than any medicine
from the mineral or vegetable kingdom.
As he drove slowly up the Old Point road,
thinking how canary or two could be
procured for the boy, an idea came TO
him which seemed like an inspiration.
He slapped his knee gleefulIy and laugh
ed inWardly as he said: "It's just the
thing. It's cheap, and the mo.her and
boy will be delighted"
Many were the sleepless vigils of Mrs
Finn at the bedside of her boy. Tender
iy she soothed his heated brow. Careful
Iy she watched the cracked kitchen stove
and saw that thu room was kept at the
proper temperature.
How exact she was to the time for Civ
ing him his medicine, only q mother
similarly situated can fully appreciate.
Many morning did the elder Finn GO
without his breakfast rather than to dis
turb the fevered slumberer. Even the
goat seemed subdaed during that critical
period. At least Mrs. Finn thought SO,
although it was probably fancy on her
part.
The crisis came at last. One morning
the light was trying to steal through a
crack IN the closed blinds when the doctor
came. He carried bird cage in his hand
which was covered with paper. He looked
at the sick boy and told his mother that
few hours would seal his fate.
While little Mike slept the doctor step
ped on chair and hung the cage on a
nail over the window. The blinds were
open now so that the cage and it's con
tents would be distinctly visible from tie
bed.
Worn with her long siege of sleepIess
nights Mrs. Finn dropped asleep il her
chair, and was awakened by a feeble
chuckle of delight. Raising her eyes to
the bed they rested on the wan face of
her boy radiant with JOY. He was look
ing at the cage.
LUX, lux, mother" he cried teebly,
but excitedly. "There's three O. thin
burds from Pether Dolan's! yalla
wan, an red wan an blue wan! Did
You buy thin, mother?"
mo, tn doother brung thin, lad. Now,
you must go to slaptw
The crisis had passed and littie Mike
improved rapidly. When the doctor
came that evening Mrs. Finn met him at
the door, with her finger upon her lip.
As the door of the sick room opened TO
the doctor the goat slipped In before him
and nOsed around among the medicine
bottles standing on the chair till they
fell upon the floor and broke. Then Bill
ly conteRtedly ate several hundred pellets
and belledoma, while the boy sat up in
bed and grinned in delight.
How is her" said the doctor.
"ShHre, he's worth tin dead boys" said
the delighted mother. at was tn little
burds as did it, But ant you foine de-
calvert be paintin' little chicks wild red
an blue an yeiIer paint an passin' 'em
off for canaries." -Ernest Jarrold in New
York Evening Sun.
Touched The Old Mans Heart.
NobroSl-o Sta+a Journal