The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-05-03
MICKEY FINN'S RATHER.

The air surrounding Cooney Island pal.
pitated with fervent heat, Parched and
dry the blades Of grass In Stumpy Field
gave up their juices to tho thirsty air
The leaves In Lindsleys wood were stirred
by no refreshing breeze ana 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 It's
blooming cups and longed for the refresh
ing dew In all the wide expanss Of
landscape which could be seen from the
back stoop OF the shanty. there was no
sign OF life save the drowsy hmm Of bees.
and here and there butterfly spreading
Its golden sails in tho sunlight
Mrs Finn formed o charming picture as
she sat In her husbands arm chair, Just
inside the kitchen door II was universally
acknowledged that she was the handsom.
est woman on the island Her complexion
was clear and her cheeks just tinged with
red like the cheek Of an OK heart cherry.
Now her long black lashos hid the gray
blue eyes and her strong. well knit hands
lay In her lap. which was covered with an
apron fresh from the ironing board Mrs
Finn was tired. She had scrubbed the
floor, blacltened the stove washed the
dishes. ironed her husbands two flannel
shirts, and, lulled by the coincidence In
the air, she had dropped asleep The
muscles OF her face contracted as an In.
quisitive ny lit upon her cheek, but the
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 u hideous and re-
voting form was lurking In the grass
within 100 feet of the shanty.
just ncrOss 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 a rnttlesnake's
nesI The old he rRttlesnake was five feet
long. and It's body was covered with beau
tiful arabesque markings Many and
narrow had been the escapes Of this rep-
tile from It's pursuers Mike Firms SOW
had bitten of 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 IL 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 lazily along behind
his canal mule Under the canvas In the
body Of the wagon lay 500 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 Tho mule
stopped and refused to proceed. Mike did
not see the snake, and so he whipped the
mule In cruel manner, but 1t only raised
up on It's hind legs and threatened to fall
back upon the wagon.
God save ye. Molly; no wondher ye
wouldn't go wan whin ye had dhirty
rattler forninst We But I'll fix himl" said
Mike. Jumping from the wagon and throw
ing huge stone at the snake. The mule
turned quickly around and ran down the
road ut o canter, spllling the herring along
the highway Mike forgot all about the
snake, and started In pursuit, bewailing
his luck.
"Faix, said he. 81 dunno is snakes or
meules th' woistF
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. Its quick eye espied the rattler.
The crow uttered hoarse, discordant
.croak. and flew 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 It's head with warning hiss at the
crow, but the bird only cooked its head
on one side and croaked It's 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 1t was fear Of the
crow which caused the snake to crawl
over the doorstep and into the shanty,
will probably never be known However,
with sinuous gliding motion and WIN
glittering eyes the snake entered the
kitchen Just as 1t 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 hostile one, gently shook its rattles,
and, fattening its head, coiled its body In
an attitude preparatory to striking
Its head was raised two feet from the
floor and it's eyes. shining like black jew
els, were fastened upon the sleeping
woman, But she was all unconscious OF
the reptiles nearness. Her hand feh
again to its original position in her lap,
her face assumed the quiet Of repose, and
she was again off into dreamland The
snake swayed back and forth, slowly un-.
coiled itself, and resumed Its way toward
tho stove.
Just at this time the crow made It's ap-
pearance in the doorway. 1t croaked q
harsh protest against the snakes invs-