The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-05
inquired Ms. Flynn of her acquain-

inquired Mrs. Flynn OF her acquain-
lance.
"Troth. an I did So" replied Mrs.
Macan, with q superior smile.
And as Matt has sent four pounds
from Ameriky in a letter."
II did: L saw the money order with
me own two eyes,"
They are talking Of buying q ten-
net, no less, al KillorgIin fair" con-
tinued Mrs. Flynn, with a touch Of o n
tempt.
How grand we are! hereTl be no
holding Judy nor the mother"
"Augh! Sure, don't We know very well
long before that"
That's true, an 50 he will," agreed
the other sOlemnly.
And, curious to relate, the p~rospectOf
this amazing feat had the Immediate
effect OF raising their spirits. dispensing
a great cloud Of envy and malice, and
throwing the two fat gossips into a
simultaneous roar OF laughter.
Nevertheless. Mrs. Flynn was wrong
for once. Mrs. Sullivan had kept the
money in a place Of safety-in fact, an
| old teacup In the thatch-and the four
one pound notes were intact when the
morning Of the lair day dawned. Dawn
found MI. and Mrs. Sullivan already
en- route to the Puck fair. They set
off at 2 o'clock in the highest spirits,
Mrs. Sullivan wearing an ancestral
blue cape cloak, a good green stuff
gown and a yellow handkerchief tied
over her head; Mickey important in his
Sunday suit. They had borrowed a
neighbours pony and yoked him to their
own cart. The pony was for sale. and
their prospective purchase was to
bring them home.
The way was long, the pony was old,
and the fair was already in full swing
when the eager couple arrived. Mickey
Immediately treated himself to q glass
Of whiskey and porter, and. uplifted by
the beverage and the delightful sensa-
ton OF having unspent money In his
pocket, he drifted off into the horse
park as happy as a king.
There he encountered various ac-
quaintances n rambled about pass
ing his opinion or animals with i'm
mense gravity; sharply criticising
shapes and breeding, leaping and ac-
ton, precisely as if he were a wealthy
Dublin dealer come to collect hunters
for 1.-The show" instead Of a poor labor
ing man with the price of an ass in his
pocket.
He talked big, he staggered here,
and he staggered there, with his
hands clasped under his coat tails and
a straw in his mouth.
He priced a broken down thorough
bred in an offhand lordly manner
wrenched open the jaws Of an indig-
nant polo pony, and glared into her
mouth. He surveyed an outstanding
young hunter with a severely suspi-
cious eye, and passed disparaging re-
marks Upon his ribs and his ancestors.
"Begorra, it's you as knows a good
horse when he see him." exclaimed one
Of Mickey's companions.
"Faix, I'd rather take Mickey Sulli-
vans opinion of a colt than Tim Ma
hers any day. announced another.
"Augh," Tim Maher!" protested a
third, with lofty scorn. What does he
know of the grass of a goose?"
Anyhow, he's a terrible stern hand
at a bargain. I've known him drive a
colt home fourteen mile, all on account
av half-a-crown as, was between him
n a Tralee dealer"
Meanwhile Mickey and his satellites
strolled through the fair, and still no
animal found favor in his eyes.
The day was sultry, and when the
party drew near the Three Shamrocks
VllChcy COIOldlly cAllOItcu LIS dC4udlu-
tances to come in and let him see if
any of them had a mouth on him."
Which invitation was, needless to say,
accepted with effusion.
Meanwhile, Mrs. Sullivan was also
enjoying herself prodigiously among
the matrOns Of her acquaintance. It
was the essence Of a whole London
season compressed into a few hours.
She talked over matches" the shock
ing price of butter and the terrible fall
in pigs; she accepted a cup Of tea from
One friend n a glass of sherry wine
from another Qeaving, according to
polite custom, a certain portion of the
glass;; she made several cautious pur-
chases, and at 5 o'clock set put In
search of Mickey.
She soon discovered him in his glory,
The center Of a smiling crowd; he was
bargaining with a bearded stranger for
a somewhat dilapidated animal, cast
from the Kenmare hearse.
us it a harse as yer losin' your time
over, Mickey?" she expostulated in her
shrillest key. AN what would we do
with a great black haste like that, as
would neither fit in the a o the
byre, and would just ate us out av
house and homer
"Oh, he's a fine haste, and, barrfn' a
looking on him as an ould friend"
a power of work in him yet" rejofned
Mickey. 'Sue, won't I hire him out for
blowing, and in the saison he can carry
the ladies through the gap, an always
great show for the money"
"a show yourself; don't be going on
wild yer blathering and nonsense; it's
an ass we came to buy, and not a big
elephant like that. The fair is thin
min, old Tim has got shut av his pony;
or x,o hast RI hnu SanoofhfnO RI fako nc
home; I'll be no party to horse dealing
and hiring out, and when We have the
right size Of haste we will find me and
the art at Mrs. Floods" and, with an
angry toss of her yellow head and a
whisk Of her blue cloak, Mrs. Sullivan
fell back into the crowd, leaving a
very favorable impression upon the
women folk, although one bold bache-
nh inv Thankful