Frostburg mining journal. [volume] (Frostburg, Md.) 1871-1913, 1891-03-21
MICKEY FINN'S DARBY"

Tom Cunnor was the blacksmith over
the hil.. Mickey Finn was in the hali
of running on errands for Tom, and SO,
when Prov idnhce sent litter of pig
in,o To 5 sly. he picked out the small
est, mo t measly 10 'llins : pis in the lit
ter, and gave ii to Mickey.
OF course the boy was deli .hted, and
rem home with the squealing ltI" ponker
under his arm.
Now, if there was anything of which
Mrs F.nn was fond it was fresh pork,
especially when it wa' you e and ten
der. Bu; he had had considerable eX-
prrrncr uith animated pork in her day
and after looking at Mjckey's acquisition
with the eve of a connoisseur, she de-
d d that The chances Of the pigs rpem-
ing int plump ham, and juicy chops
were very Slim
"Now, Mickey, you take that rack O
bones wild no II ate ON it back Z Ton
Connor, an tell him he might better be
up t better business nor shown off his
bones an bristles on ye. Faix, he might
as well be givin' we a shtove CRATE. Lux
at tn tail iv tn boneen! Musha, thare's
no more twist to it than to hoe
handle!'
"But, mother, l don't want th' pig Z
ate. want 7 play wild him!"
Play wild pig, is it! Col save us!
Mkt yell want to be playin' wild Fee
mans calf, so ye will. o., but you're a
loouey by; ye're out iv yer sivin small
sinses. Play wild pig! Och, did l
iver hear the likes! Play wild a pig!
Mebbe ye'd he putIn' pants on him an
feediu' him wild a sp on, agra. It's a
quare lad ye are. II 9 by, wild yer ould
uivil goats an that black crow as has
shiny heads in his head Well, well, an
wantin' t make ly'yer iv ye stead iv
a dirty snake charmer or mautherin'
vayabones as ye will be av ye don't
suop foolin' wild animils! SO, thare.
Now, Mickey, take that pig back t Tom
Connor an tell him t live ye wan wild
pork on his ribs an fate worth picklin'
ON him. Now run, run ava.
Mickey picked up the pig tenderly in
his ar and went away over the hill
Iii, Leart WAS heavy; but 1om Connor
cheerel him up.
Mickey" said he, you an I'll make a
pen fer the porker foreninst tn forge,
an you can gather little gras and
s;uff fer him. McbLe he'll get fat. Thin
yer mother'll lie glad t hav him. Well
call the porker Darby.
The pen was built and Darby was duly
instale therein. Under the fostering
care of the blacksmith and little Mike
the porker grew in size and plumpness,
and endeared himself to Mickey by his
many winning ways. The pig became
broad of back and strong of limb
Darby's ears began to drop upon his
neck, and he was very fond of being
scratched between them with piece of
old iron. And SO the days fled quickly
iy, fl led with the joy of content.
But while the M y days were slipping
away into the eternities Mrs Finn had
not been idle. Her boys exlravagant
praises # Darby had awakened her
cnpidity ane s. Often while Mickey
was at school Mrs. Finn took SLY trips
over the meadows to the sty. On each
of these occasi ons she alw ays took with
her some choice morsels which We're
calculated to increase Darby's girth, and
to make his jpwlI drop with fatness
Alas! however, Mrs FINN entertained
none of those fine sentiments of unselfish
love for Darby which animated her son.
She could see no poetry in the corkscrew
curl of Darby's tail as he grunted
with pleasure while gnawing last
years cabbage stump. Her finer
senaibilties had been roughened by
tne sandpaper of misfortune. Each
pound Darby gained meant not added
grace and proportion to her, but rather
suggested the salty pork barrel and the
sizzling frying pan.
Durin. all this time Mickry's old gray
bearded billy goat was suffering the
torments of unrequited affection. Day
by day the LILLY saw Micley go by him
on his " ay to the pig pen. But once i'll
three long weeks did little Mike stop
and gambol with the goat as he had
Leen wont to do in the sweet old days
before the coming of the hated Darby,
The goat seemed to be aware that the
affections of his master We're waning
away from him, "like the twilight of an
autumn day.
Only little sunlit hollow i'll Stumpy
Field separated Darby and the goat.
O e morning. while vet the grass was