Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1890-10-29
MICKEY FINN'S STORY,

A few evenings since Mrs. O'Brien,
Mike Coogsn, "the wan-legged
accordion player as wares the red flag
and kapes the cows OF the railroad
track, and the somnolent Mike Welsh,
had gathered around the wood fire in
the Finn shanty. The lamp was lit,
the supper dishes had been cleared
away, and sn air of lazy content per-
ysded the room After the current
gossip had been exchanged and the
probability of a late or early closing of
the canal discussed in all its bearings,
the conversation began to lag. Mrs.
O'Brien turned to little Nike, who was
industriously poring over n primary
geography, and said:
.Fwhat hav' We there, Mickey; a
sthory buke!"
No, mann; it's a gogerfy," replied
Mickey.
And does it tell about animals,
Mickey dear"
lit do, and fwhat's more, it tills
about min and countries like Ireland
and Agypt-"
'.Oh, dear mel" exclaimed Mrs
O'Brien. That's mighty quare. And
fwhat's that yere r'adin' about now:''
"Only goats and wolves" replied
little Mike, with an impatient gesture,
buryins his hands in his hair, and re-
suming his scrutiny of the map of
Siberia. But Mrs. O'Brien would
not be put of. She exclaimed:
''Arrsh, Mickey; tell us all about
it. That's dear. Now do"
To this appeal was added the gently
supplicating look OF his mother
These persuasions were so eloquent
that even the studied conservatism of
the coming '.ly'yer" was melted, and
he complied with the provision
that every word he uttered was to be
taken for truth as pure as
gospel. Mr.. Finn reloaded his
pipe and lit the tobacco with a
faring splinter of maple wood Mike
Welsh gulped down a cough for fear
that it should interfere with the re-
cital, and Mrs. Firms fingers fingered
in her knitting as she looked proudly
upon her boy. Mickey cleared his
throat, as Fallahdean is supposed 10
have done when he told his marvellous
stories to Lslla Rookh. Said he:
"Well, thin, We must know that
wanst upon a time, about the time that
little apples was first med, thare was a
CRATE king in Dublin, and his name
was kishogue the Crate, he was that
high and wide. And he was a very
wise man and fond of fresh eggs and
goats. Now, goats was scarce in Dub
lin in them days, bekase they were not
plinty like pigs. But the king was sore
at heart bekase he had no goat to drag
him around in his jsunting car
vhin he'd be collectin' his rents
and going to the races. So he put up
hsndbills all over Dublin, offerin' ten
pound reward to the man as 'ud bring
him 3 goat as big as a Donegal calf,
broken to harness. Wan day, wmn
the King was after havin' his dinner
and a noggin o. the cratur to take the
bad taste o the food out of his mouth
thare KEN a rap at the palace gate
whin Pstssy Colligsn, the King
coortier, opsnod the gate on a crack
he seen a wild-looking man wild black
vhiskers staadiR' forninst him.
asAnd who are you?' saws Patsey
I'm Roosian prophet says th'
black stranger.
essAnd phwst brings you here?' says
fatsey.
sss Me legs saws the prophet, 'ant
th.y're that sore wild walkin' all th'
way from Roosis,' says he.
.s.Have ye nadles or pins TO SELF
| .avs Patsey. fur he thought iverI
! stranger wild black beard was a ped
| der.
...DiviI a Radle or pin hav' L, say
the prophet. I'm just here to tell th'
King where he can buy a white goa
/ Twelve hands high, wild a long grel
beard. and wild eve, IS red as coal o
h-e. fer ten shillin's. eight pence, say
he
..wen. PStsey let = shilloo out o.
mir. when ks heard about the goat a
=. end hear a mile away, and 1t orunS
the King to the windy of the palace
And when the King heerd about th'
| goat and the prophet he sIed the blaeh
man w'ud he come in, and the BLACK
man said he'd be mighty glad to, and
IN hs went wild the nose of him N tn
air TO zee s'ud he shmel amy sup
A.~sa a ~ e(hNys, fU - ~ hRn