Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-02-14
A CHAPTER OF HISTORY.
MICHAEL FINN JR TELLS HIS AUNT OF
A BIG FIGHT WITH TIE INDIANS IN
ULSTER COUNTY, NEW YORK.


The i,.tcnel of the Fiun ,llaHty was
very C ,-ey when compared with the
blackness Of the November evening out
side There was IL searching kee ness
i the air W h cli made the warmth ald
or of the ron III thoroughly enjoyable.
"A lazi q firr of maple wood cracked
ulcrr.lv in the stove, and The Str'hIS
drau hi sent shower of golden 81 hri'
e,id ing out in the black night rom
tie ru,ly stuyepipe. Mr.. Fun to s. d
h.s si!in,, ,ioz ii, and smoked. HIS wife
,nrneI TIE heel of stocking drawn
over gourd. Mickey Finn's aunt,
Mary Jane O'HouIihan, sat with her
elbows on her knees, looking into the
fire. while little Mike pored over vol
umn # Amer can history. 1t was a do
N. m..,ji" SC ne full of past r,l content.
A d what's that bule yere readin',
Mic ry?' said hls aunt, as she lit a
splinter of wood and ignited her pipe.
It's history, replied the boy, as
wIinilie of i'm .atienee marred his smooth
brow at the interru l,tlon.
"A his'try, is it?" continued his aunt,
Frightening into lively interest; "and
does it say anything about 6 ats?
Nav, rejpined the boy, with gest-
ure of annoyance, ut tells about
Imjins.
Now, NJ Hickey, don't be imrelint to
your auntie, chided his mother "Tell
her about the buke, that's a gool boy.
WHAT'S the good of navin' eddca ion if
you don't tell yer auutie about it? Tell
her what thin thi .gs is like you're
tallin' about; that', a darlint.
Tnus persuaded, little Mike came
down from his educatione! altitude to
the level of his listeners, and, closing
his book with sigh, began. Said he:
We'll, We mustn't know, thin, that
nanny years ago, before pisstys were
butt in America, thare was thousands
and thousands of red min wild 81 liins the
color of new bricNs. Il roamin' around
Cooncy Island. They carried lath
ha chefs in their naked fists, and ray
same they cotch wild their hands, for
they could run like the wind Faix, |
think they could walk six days
walkin' match in four days, they were
that fast Every mornin' afther brek-
fuist these brick colored haythins
would put mineral paint on their faces,
sharpen their hatohets on grildstone,
and start out for to be maxim bonfres
of min and women jist for divilmint.
When they cotch man they would tie
him to post and stick red hot splniers
into him till they'd see him squirm.
The splinterS was jist like the van
you're Lighting your pipe wld, auntle.
And whin the Injms were tormentin
the min and women they cotch by
shootin' arrows at Thin and earvin' the
hair off their heads for fish lines, they
were maxim noise like thi y
Here Mickey stopped to initiate an In
dian war whoop, by shaping his right
hand against his open mouth and max
ing arbarous noise, ending in a fright
full yell, which almost lifted his aunt
from her Chair from t light.
There was grin of gratified vanity
on the fac Of the youthful historian as
lie turned to his mother and said;
Mother, me auntie is afraid | don't
think she wants to hear any more about
the InjinS.
Faith, l do, exclaimed Mrs O'Houli-
han, trembling, yet eager. $50 wan
wild yer story about the murderin' cam
nibas. What else did they do?'
"Well, they made the women do all
the work, like plantin' the corn, and
di gin the praties, and maxim tine
fires"
81, that so?" "queried Mrs, Finn, quick
ening to IA lively interest in the story.
They were mighty smaro min. thin.
'Yis," continued Mickey, land they
We're fond of killin' old min and little
babies. But whin the Irish landed at
Ponckhoche they made it mighty hot
for the haythins. The Irish med their
heads that sore wild their blaolthorns
that a biz chief named Tecumsey aXed
for peace, and he Irish and the Injins
had a CRATE meetin' on the railroad track
forninst the Iimekill. The big chief, wild
a red. white, and blue bIankit on his
back, made an illegint speech that day.
He md it in poetry, for he was a
mighty smart Injin, and had eddicashun.
He said, says he, wavin' his arms and
his feathers:
''Ye have rivers and say,
Where the bllars al braze
car riches for ye al me.
Thin why should the lri Ii harrum the vans