Juniata sentinel and Republican. [volume] (Mifflintown, Juniata County, Pa.) 1873-1955, 1891-03-18
MTCKY FINN'S VIOLET

MICKY FINN'S VIOLET.
Out of the ground at the foot Of the
big pine tree in lindsley's wood there
grew violet. Twas after much hesi-
tation that the flower had pushed Its
way up through the carpet of brown
needles which covered it, and at last
timidly showed its head. Every morn
ing a slanting beam of sunlight shot
through the branches Of the big pine
and kissed the purple lips of the flower
and drank mp the beads of dew which
nestled - Its green leaves. After many
days of struggling the flower began to
manufacture its new spring bonnet.
This bonnet was woven in looms of
air and shaped by the shuttles of the
sun. Still, while this process was
going on, the flower often shrank and
trembled as a vicious blast, lingering
over from March, chilled its tender
leaves. But one day, when the sun
was brighter than usual, the bonnet
opened itself and q subtle perfume
came from it and mingled with the
balsamic odor of the pine and the faint
breath of the honeysuckle. Twas the
eau de cologne of the wood.
1t seemed a. if the dwellers in the
wood had conspired to protect the
flower. A big humble bee was pilfer-
Ing sweets from the violet one dav
when blue bird few down and gob-
pIeo II up. A red-aeaded woodpecker
picked up bug which was gnawing
away at the violet's stem. A brown
breasted robin tripping by stopped to
look at the flower. A squirrel fingered
on its way up ragged oak, turned to
Inspect 1t, then whisked out Of sigh. in
the foliage. And every day the stem
of the flower grew stronger and its
perfume sweeter.
But across the fields from beyond
the meadows there came one day a de-
structive animal which consumed every
green and living thing before it. This
was Biddy Finn's billy goat. 1t hap
pened that the venerable old graybeard
hEd gnawed the rope which bound
him to the stake in Srumpy Field and
had gone on little ramble. As he
rambled down the Old Point road,
dragging behind him about twenty
feet of clothes line, he looked every
inch a conqueror, and the children hid
behind their mothers skirts and peered
out fearfully as he went by. On ar
irving at the wood he shifted the air
redolent of fresh and growing things.
After cropping tender grasses for
awhile he grew tired Of this ordinary
fare and fed only on dandelion shoots
and other danties in the wood.
Violet, you are in danger!
The goat stood on the crest Of ridge,
which ran Ike q great backbone
through the forest. He looked of up
on the river below him with dreamy
expression in his eyes, as if ne enjoyed
The scene. Suddenly be turned his
head and listened. Down the aisles
Of the wood came q faint I" ualloo,
Billy, Billy, Billy"
There was moment Of silence,
broken only by the soughing Of the
big pine. Then above the voices of
the wood came the call again. The
hoary and wicked old truant lifted his
head and uttered ma-a-a-a of well
come.
Barefooted and flushed with exercise
Mickey Finn made hi, appearance.
The most afeotionate relations pre-
vailed between the boy and the goat,
which was shown by the ardent man
ner in which the goat rubbed his head
against the boys legs, Mickey picked
up the rope, and the pair started homo
ward.
beware, violeti
The way led past the big pine. A.
hey went down the slope of the hill
the goat saw through the leaves the
Wrinkle of the violet's blue sap. He
was eager TO reach the flower, but
Mickey held him back with the rope.
Thus struggling they went by the
lower on run. Mickey caught q
glimpse of the violet as he went by,
however, and the desire for possession
seized him.
When the goat had been safely tied
so'a sts.ie again and the kcroseue oil
had been poured upon the roqs by
Mickey to keep the graybeard f.om
;hewing it again, the Toy returned
after the flower. lie took his mothers
Gre shovel with him and Dug I. up,
;arrying enough earth with ;he plant
':o protect its roots. He planted II In