St. Paul daily globe. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn.) 1884-1896, 1890-09-26

by your lave,' all over my garden,
standin' on their hind legs and atm my
currants, and chewin' me lettuces and
fhellin' me pase! Oh, dear, oh, dearl
dunno fwhat I'll do at all, at all, wild
the dirty waddlers!'
Mrs. O'Brien's nose had been buried
deep in the cup during this mournful
plant. just as Mrs. Finn concluded
she withdrew it, and looked inquiringly
over toward the simmering teapot on
the stove. Mrs. Finn took this delicate
hint, and as she replenished the cup she
asked:
"What shall do, Mrs. o'Brien. about
| the ducks?"
'Lave thin to me. Pll fix thin.
Whin does Mickey get home from
| school?''
"At o'clock"
"Whin he comes sind him over to
me. ana kape still tongue in yer
| head"
Mrs. O'Brien arose covered with per-
| SEPARATION. AS she started to return
bone, with the cupOf flour in her hand,
| she remarked:
THAT oylong tay O. years is mighty
| s0Othin' THIS hot weather. Now, be
sure and sind Mickey as soon as he gets
| home"
The long afternoon dragged slowly
away until the shadows began to
| lengthen in the valley. The goat came
out of his barrel, and yawned sleepily.
| A little breeze came out of the west
and gently stirred the goats whiskers.
| When little Mike returned from school
his mother sent him over to Mrs.
O'Brien. Five minutes later he was
running at the top of his speed IN the
direction of Brady's grocery. While he
was absent Flannigan's ducks, headed
| by the drake. had left Browns
pond, and were. serenely wab-
bling their way homeward. They
walked in single file, like In
dams on the trail, the drake now and
then uttering peaceful, contented
| quack, which was taken up in succession
by each of the ten ducks in the pro-
cession. 1t was peaceful, restful
scene, and the ducks were cool and
| comfortable after their prOtracted bath.
| Instead of going around by the road,
which was his usual custom, the drake
took short cut through the meadow,
followed by his harem. When they ar
| rived at the summit of the knoll ada
! cent to the Finn estate the drake stood
up and shook his wings. The ducks fol-
lowed his example. Then the leader
crept under the fence into Mrs. Firms
| garden.
Little Mike, who was on the lookout,
|
himself with delight, and whispered to
his mother and Mrs. O'Brien:
Here they are"
Mrs. o. Brien had large earthen bowl
4 in her hand. 1t was partly filled with
broken pieces of pilot biscuit, evidently
soaked in some liquid. Dipping her
fingers in the bowl and stirring the
pieces of cracker, she stepped to the
door and began calling:
S.L
and get your support"
The ducks needed no second bidding.
The invitation was an exact counterfeit
of the one Mrs. Flanagan uttered every
j evening. They tumbled over each other
y in their eagernesS to get the food.
Ducks are notorious gourmands. These
proved to be no exception to the rule.
They gorged themselves on the crackers
as Mrs. OBren threw them on the
ground by handtuls. AS the last hand
full was gObbled by the drake, Mrs.
O'Brien said:
Nov, Mickey, me lad, you run out
and drive the ducks into Flannigan'S
yard, where they belong"
Mickey had no difficulty in executing
this order, for the ducks seemed to be
more than ordinarily amiable. Little
| Mike lay down behind a currant bush,
and waited developments. Meanwhile
the two women had gone into the
kitchen, where Mas. Finn exclaimed:
II hope you didn't pisen the ducks,
Mrs. O'Brlen. 1t 'ud be shame to
waste all that duck mate. Flannigan's
poor"
Don't l know he u.s." replied Mrs.
| O'Brien. But We needn't worry yer
SEP. Divil's the harm'll come to thin
ducks"
"Fwhat did We give thin ?' asked Mrs.
Finn in Wheedling tone.
Didn't We see me givin' thin soaked
crackers. acushla! Be aisy now for
| few minutes and yell see S0methin'
ash make We burst your apron strings
wild laughin'."
Little Mike, from his secure position
behind the currant bush, was evidently
enjoying himself. for snort of irrepreS-
sible merriment came from him at inter
walls which threatened to reveal his
hiding place to the Flannigans.
When the ducks went through the
fence into Flannigan's yard they had
marched in the customary single file.
But when they filed out into the door
yard they broke ranks and fell into dis
order. The drake began to quack louder
than usual and to be more than usually
| demonStrative in his marks of affection.
Somehow his quack was unnatural. 1t
began with protracted ''qua," and
| ended suddenly with "ck," which was
| explosive. The ducks. too, acted
! queerly. Some of them leaned against
the fence in negligent, careless atti-
| tudes. and their voices were quiet and
| subdued; others swayed little as they
| for support. They rubbed their heads
together and nodded sleepily. At last.
the drake staggered to the middle of
the yard, tapped his wings, and, with
one despairing squawk. gently rolled
| over on his back. The ducks, as if
sympathiZing with their leader, all fol-
lowed his example, and, waddling
serenely and vivaclously to the side of
the drake, gave up the attempt to walk,
and laid down with their feet in the
| air.
By this time the Flanagan family had
become alarmed. They rushed to the
ment and dismay at the picture of ten
ducks and drake all lying upon their
backs in the yard, each waving it's
webbed feet gently back and forth, and
all of them uttering in chorus, "Quack,
quack. quackl" which died away in a
graceful diminuendo, only to be re-
sumed again with recovered breath.
Mrs. Flanagan picked up one of the
ducks. AS it lay in her aims its head
hung backward over her arm, as if the
bird was just about to waddle into eter-
nifty.
bad luck to thin as pizened ye, me
darlint," said Mrs. Flanagan. as the
tears ran down her cheeks. "Oh, what
shall do, what shall do, whin | have
no more duck eggs of Sunda'?''
Meanwhile Mr.. Flanagan had come
home. He proved himself to be man
| of action.
I
was looking over the fence with mock
concern on his face, run and get your
putty blower!"
Turning to his wife he exclaimed: