The Lebanon express. (Lebanon, Linn County, Or.) 1887-1898, 1889-05-03


hIU4l, .a4,., J.... p.ab W tiio ..-.-- -,
peered around until II discovered tho
snake under the stove. The snake lay
perfectly quiet upon tho oilcloth. the
bees hummcd in the meadow outside, and
the butterflies flashed In the sunlight
Just as they had done before Mrs. Finn
had dropped asleep In her chair
It will be necessary to tell, In order that
the reader may thoroughly appreciate the
situation, that Mickey Finn had gone out
In the vicinity OF the Devils lake that
morning with his fathers dinner pail and
his mothers two quart molasses pail In
search OF raspberries He was returning
up the Old Point road with the pals both
filed with fruit when he met his friend
Jack Doolan Doolan with him
five cent irecracker. which had somehow
escaped being exploded on the Fourth OF
July
Little Mike offered Doolan small mnd
turtle about the size OF silver dollar.
which he carried In his tronsers pocket,
in exchange for the cracker. but Doolan
refused the offer
II don't want none o yer ould mud tur-
kles. said ,Boolan hut " yell 81 me
wan o thin pals full o berries I'll 81 ys
th cracker
Mickey demurred to this proposal. but
Doolan dilated on the wonderful proper
ties Of the cracker and how It would
"blow tomato can up agin tn sky" and
at last the bargain was consummated The
berries were poured mt into Doolan o hat.
and while he ate them by. the -handfuls.
little Mike examined one end OF the
cracker with an old jack knife to see how
much powder there was In IT, Then he
resumed his homeward way wondering
how high the cracker would blow the tur
tie II the animal were placed on top OF
the tomato can when the explosion took
place.
Meanwhile the sun had risen higher to.
ward the zenith. The breeze still delayed
It's coming and the heated air had drank
up the water In the brook until there was
scarcely enough left TO wet the stones.
Little Mike was afraid that he would be
ceusured for the loss OF his berries, and
so he sneaked quietly In the gate and
looked in at the kitchen door before en-
tering He was delighted TO see that his
mother was asleep Stepping into the
kitchen, his bare feet made no sound upon
the floor Putting his pals upon the
table. he was about TO go out into the
yard and explode his cracker when the
croak Of the crow attracted his attention.
Looking in the direction Of the stove. he
saw the head Of the snake projecting be
meath the hearth.
The sight frightened him and he backed
slowly out into the yard The snake was
now slowly gliding toward his mother
He was afraid TO awaken her for fear that
she might be bitten. Then an inspiration
came TO him. Said he TO himself:
"Musha. but I'll blow you into smithsr-
eens. me beauty
Taking a match from his pocket he
scratched it upon the fence and applied
the flame to the end Of the frecracker's
stem. While the powder in the end was
splitting out sparks he went TO the door
and rolled the big firecracker in the direc
tion Of the snake. The snake saw It com
ing, and coiling itself quickly struck its
deadly fangs into the red jacket Of the
cracker There was moment of intense
suspense on the part Of the boy, but be
fore the reptile could withdraw its head
an explosion ensued which blew the head
less. lifeless body Of the snake across the
stove. shook the shanty to its founda
tions and startled Mrs. Finn so that she
fell over backwards in her chair upon the
6oor. As she regained her feet, pale and
breathless, she caught q glimpse Of her
grinning son in the yard. Grabbing the
broom in her hand she started after him,
exclaiming as she did so:
"Aha, ahal me laddy buck, so ye're
BLOWN up the shanty wild yer divilish
powdther, are yer? Fax. yen think tn
Ould By himsel had ye whin lay hoult
O. ye, so ye will"
The bees hummed, the old hen clueked
to her brood. the sun lay hot upon the
meadows. and down the Old Point road
ran little Mike pursued by his irate
mother.--Evening Sun.