Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1890-08-16
MICKEY FINN'S TRAGEDY.


day long the rays Of the August sun had
beaten down on the dry grasses and
dropping wild flowers in the field. The
air was tremulous with heat, and the
wide expanse of landscape which could
be seen from the back stoop of the Finn
shanty showed no sign of life. A lazy
butterfly with gaudily painted wings
toated hither and thither on the zephyrs
which drifted out from Lindsley's wood.
A great humble bee nestled in the
shade of the leaves of the sweetbriar
bush close by the slanty, from which il
fitted a moment afterward as though
sccnting greater sweets within, and
lighted ON the rubicund nose of Mrs.
Finn. There was a pause like that be-
fore a storm. Th1re was swipe Of the
big rcd arm. blow of the big fat fist
ON the side Of the glowing beak. but the
bee had skipped.
IL was no uncertain memory which
the bee had left behind upon that pro-
boscis. Little by little the nose swelled
to enormous proportions. and by the
time that Mrs. Finn had reached the
cracked mirror in her dingy bedroom
the swelling had spread TO her cheeks
her eyes, her long double jointed ears,
and 10 that hinge cavern which she called
her mouth.
'Ow, WOW! Militia murtherl' she
screamed. rs she caught sight Of her
p.'iz ia the glass. At that moment the
bamJlc bee came buzzing around her
head again. Driven wild by the pain in
her nose. airs. Finn shot out her fist Mt
random aud struck the looking glass
square in the middle. There was crash.
a scream and "a gush of blood She had
cut the artery in her wrist. She tainted
and before she came to she had bled to
death.
The humble bee buzzed on.
The wind soughed an extra sough
through Lindsley's wood, and the water
IN the pond seemed troubled and wept.
Nature mourned. She little knew what
a sad old time she was going To have OF
she would have got right up and howled
Mr. Finn came ambling in zigzag
fashion towards the shanty. He had been
hquidating at Mullen's groggery. He
had "A suspicious looking tin can in his
hand, which he set down carefully near
Mickey's pansy blossoms. Then he smiled.
not with ghoulish glee, but with "A salts
faction born of the hope that the old
Billy would meet his just deserts by and
by. The old man turned his giddy foot
steps into the shanty.
Again the wind soughed n mighty.
mighty sough. These songhs don't cost
n cent, and are only put in to ill up the
time until Mr.. Finn gets into his bedroom
and throws off his jumper. He saw his
spouse upon the floor, but he did not give
her second thought. concluding. nattl.
rally. that she had only one of her old
time jags ON.
'.Phere the diyil Is that bye?' he cried,
starting for the door. He was greeted
by AN avalanche of bees that had been
summoned by the bunbler. They made
a fierce onslaught upon the old man. but
the liquor in his brain gave him an ar
titieial courage To fight the foe he struck
out wildly in every direction. but the
bees had come 20 stay and sting.
And they did sting.
In an instant the old mans face was
pulled up out of all recognition, and his
hands were as big as hams. He stag.
gered back 70 the bedroom, and just as
the wind in Lindsley's wood twisted an
extra soush out Of large green bongh 4
he Tell across the PROSTATE form of his .
wife.
In moment he had joined the adult 4
angels The couple had been united in 1
life. such rs ii had been, and the exor-
dunn Of fate was complete-they were
united in death.
And the bees hummed requiem out.
side the cottage.
Over the brow of hin gamboled the
old Billy. He had long cherished "A deep
SEA green hatred for Mrs. 0'Brien, and
he was going TO haveit ont. He SAW her
chopping wood near her shanty. Her
back was toward him. His ewes glist-
ened. He lowered his head until his
long beard trailcl on the ground. and
made rush for the enemy.
When Mr.. O.Brien came home that
night he found lis wife dead, with an
ax handle sticking through her dia-
phragm
He jacet,
The schoolmaster was the next TO cross
the path Of tine Infatuated goat Now,
alas the old pedagogue is sitting on a
damp cloud Green's grammar in his
hand, Mickey Firms well thumbed ABC
book IN his hip pocket. and heavenly
smile on his f,ice.
Gone. but not forgotten. tG. W.Cl
Little Mickey the angel Of the Finn
CAME gay II tripping along a ,
lladed pathway in Lindsley's wood. A; :
hat iuOmeut there was fearful sough
u the green fingers Of the big pine, and !.
premclition Of approaching disaster :,
Inferred his little heart as he made cow !,
oy tracks for home 4
Poor little Mickey! !,
lie slt % the side of his little trnndlr l
Ell. looking at his pulled up parents. >
al n small tear trickled down his sad ;,
Tile NOSE, Ikea drop of dew ON squash !,
b. realized that he was an orphan. II
To his childish mind the desolation n
as complete. and he saw no reason for II
lgsring longer Oh the blue. moldy :.