The Bryan daily eagle. (Bryan, Tex.) 1895-1898, 1896-08-22
MICKEY FINNS FLOWER

e~AeAaA e@fH - ~ ~f ~ !
"sorrs Easter day twin 10 this
year" Mis-. Finn Euttercd. as blast /
laden with sncw came down the chin
ney into the fireplace. scattering
sparks over the Kitchen floor. Faith,
Mickey wouldn't get hide nor hair OF
green thing IN the woods this year,
saving a hemlock branch. Divils the
flower he'd get to mind me OF the dear
little shamrock"
II was 3 o'clock In the afternoon he
fore Easter. when the boys burst ont
I OF the school house door. With oilt-
| like vigor they revclcd In the storm.
laughter filled the cir. and the cheeks
] pnlCd by confinement grew vivid nnd
risy with Quickencd life. And. as lit
de- Nike blunderei iu upon his moth
or. luoyunt with vitality aud covered
with SNOW. and fell upon his knees be-
side her h. looked up aud saw that
her checks were vet
"Arrah mother dear. he said, with
tender sollcltude. An what's eehn'
yei Is yer heart sorcY Shure. al.ana.
YOU might not be- cry.n' To-morrow's
your birthday. acnshla, an yer only
thirty-fye years old. an the light Is IN
yer eye an' the blush Is In yer cheek,
an the reEt Is paid, an'-"
"Thrue Cor ye. hickey" interrupted
hls mother. wiping her eyes with her
apron. "but ! was ihlnkIn' OF the TOW
ems Ia the Vale o GlenmOrc. an the
shamrocks. an sure. 4 have no fresh,
wild thing from tha woods O. mind ne
Of the time when was young IN
sweet. like you, Mickey. dnrliut an
I'm that heavy hearted. dunno what
a. do al an. az all But don't tell your
, father. Mickey"
, Mickey promised. and. after cheer
lng his mother to the best Of his small
ability. he went % feed the mamie
goat Mrs. Finn did not notice that be
had hidden the coal shovel under his
coat II was o'clock when the door
closed behind the boy. Twilight WAS
! rapidly mantllng the valley with
B shadows. n Bridget had raised her
I head and looked out Of the window.
-. she would have seen her boy running
down the Old Point ruad with race
horse speed But her view Of him
wonld have been brief, for he quickly
, ran out ~ sight of the shnnty aud dis
appeared In the perspective of eddying
Z suoWllakrs. lie made fair progress in
! the roadway where the track had
v been broken 10y passing teams. but
4 when he turned into the wood where
y the road dipped toward the river. his
:, progress WIS slower The majesty ui
! the tall pines awed him a little. and
= their heart-quaking tones chilled hif
y enthusiasm. ns he noundercd along
through the snow. Now he crossed d
D. little oasis Of pine needles where N,
q keen wind had shoyelcd away N,
y snow. and again, he struggled through
r drifts walsthlgh. But, although d,
"A was chilled o. the marrow boy IN.
!, mz0rlikc wind. his courage never lei
him. Aud. as the shadows dccpeue,l
y BE- muttered between his clenche,
D teeth.
y Il know where they are, by the hii
10 rock wherp the violets grow III twis
n. them around the sugar bowl IN IL
n. mnrnin' before she gets lp. She'll for
r, get the shamrocl; when she see
IA them"
- oh. glorious hope. hourgeoncd Wit
~ promise, oh, Magician Love, coniurc
O. OF joy,
n The lights bad begun % twinkle
the windows OF the valley whe
OF Mickey emerged into the hollow D
NJ was Ia search o. lie was skilled
Ia the mysteries of the wuods. Many
NJ summer afternoon had be- passed
the little hollow where h. ROW stow
Then the air was heavy with the rc
ne fumc OF Wild honeysucklo aud od1rot
o with the halsam OF the pine Nov
iai snow two feet deep. covered II Ike
blanket. There was no hesitation
however in his manner as De hcga
digging IN the snow with the co'
shovel. lie dug a trench foot VIE
as' across the most sheltered part 81 II
To hollow. His trench was nearly y
dy feet long. when his quick eye caugl
IN, the faint Climmcr of green throug
mi, thu dead leaves M the bottom. Sioo
=, ing down with trembling cagerncs
be pluclScd leaf. and, holding u I
INC against the sky. chuckled with dclig
m us he muttcrcd.
lad II have Il! have a. Shurc. mot
fol or will be- crazy with JOY when s.
sees it,
D Five minutes later his prize lay ov
NJ, his heart. tied In a handanna handk'