The L'Anse sentinel. (L'Anse, L.S., Mich.) 18??-current, 1893-12-23
WIDOW M.LlnN.s COW.
How n Canadian Pre- mier Was Worried
Into Settling n Biil for $40.


Into Settling n Biil for $40.
When Sir John Mackenzie was
premier OF Canada. years ago. the
most uncomfortable thorn In his side
was Sir Peter Mitchell, member OF
parliament from New Brunswick
Sir John, says tho Washington Post.
was railroad magnate, and just be-
fore the opening Of parliament one
winter Sir Peter called upon him and
endeavcred to get him to pay $40 to
a widow named Mary McLinn. whose
COW had been killed on a road con-
'trolled by the premier Sir John
refused and Sir Peter swore to got
even during the session. In the
speeches he madeevery day against
the measures and methods OF the
government. then under serious sus-
picion, he told tho story OF Widow
McLlnn's COW, and trotted her out
with such frequency that must have
seemed like cruelty to animals,
Finally the last day of the session
dawned and the consideration OF
Mackenzie's expense budget was ro-
sumed. 1t provided the appropria-
tions for the coming year. Sir Peter
Mitchell took the floor early In the
morning and launched into eulogy
of the deceased COW and the, pro-
priety of making i'm appropriation
for the Widow McLinn He. was
greeted with laughter and mock APP
plause. and then his auditors waited
uneasily for him to finish. He did
not finish. He told the story over
again with embellishments and elab-
orations.
Meantime Sir John Mackenzie was
perspiring with wrath and anxiety in
the premier's apartment hard by. All
his hopes were bound up in the APP
preparation budget. What II it
should not come to a vote? The hon
orable member from New Brunswick
could not BIO stopped, for this was
the one bill in Canadian parliament
on which member could speak as
long as he wished. There was no
way OF cutting short the debate. No
motion was In order while he was
speaking except the motion to adj
journ, and that would be adjourn
ment sine die
The government members were in
CONSERVATION as the orator began an
elaborate Grafton on the blessings OF
vaccination, explaining '.the unex-
ampled services of James Phipps in
spreading the mysterious prophy-
Tactic" eulogizing the heroism OF
Edward Jenner, Mary Wortley Mon
tagu and Caroline, princess of
Wales, and ending that branch of
his subject with tho fervid outburst
at thrills the heart to reflect that
perchance the variolous pustule.
whose virtues have revolutionized
the therapeutics and saved millions
of lives, was contributed to afflicted
humanity by an illustrious ancestress
of Mary McLinn's cow.
This was received with a shrek OF
rage from the government benches,
but Sir Peter accepted tho attention
as so much applause. He then looked
at the clock and presented some val
liable statistics on tho cost OF fences
in the United States. ana enlarged
upon the methods OF lo5E!ing cows
in Russia, on the various uses of
cows horns and hoofs, on the i'm
mensc superiority for draft purposes
of Devon cattle, to which class the
deceased domestic friend of the be-
reaved Widow McLinn belonged and
on the activity of the COW in ancient
times, and lands where. in juvenile
mythology, she sometimes had q
"crumpled horn" and is alleged to
have vaulted even higher than our
principal nocturnal luminary, and
then no began to describe the religi-
Gus ceremonies in which the sacred
COW Of Burmah takes part when the
bell rang for vespers. A short time
moro and the session would expire
by law. and the government had
passed no appropriation bill.
At this critical juncture one Of the
government members returned ex-
citedly from the premier's room,
rushed to the orators desk and ex-
claimed:
''In the name OF God, what ails
you, Mitchellp What do you want?"
"And STILL" said Sir Peter. finish
ing the sentence he had on his lips,
mot a cent has ever been paid for
Widow McLinn's COW"
The member uttered a vehement
and profane imprecation about that
animal and added "Sir John Mac
kenzie authorizes me to say that he
will pay for the COW II you'll let this
bill come to vote"
Sir Peter sat down. rather tired,
and the widow got her pay. The
government organs decla.ed that the
widows COW had cost $4,000.