The semi-weekly messenger. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1897-1908, 1897-10-05


lor called out: Sure. what do want
with the uld hearse horse at ali,
Mickey. or any horse whatever. when
| ye have such an elegan. gray mare Nv
yer OWN"
An hour later Mickey arrived at
ed by w men leading a smart-lookinx
brown ass.
Here We are. Bridgie." he screeched.
I've waited to a good purpose. re see;
Tve been and bought the gayest dom
key in Munster"
AN time for ye." replied his better
half. Sure, every man wan Is going.
How much?"
Three pounds five shillings. I bet
them down from five pounds. and they
were axing five pounds ten shillings."
"On, akin" il one thing and gettfn
another. How Odd Is he?"
He's four of, man," replied his
former owner, a decent-looking man in
frieze, and he Is well used to a family,
and I know he Will Civ ye every salts
faction: we have only to spake to him,
n whoop! away he goes! Fatx, rn
go bail hat within the week ye will be
couple av splints and a back sinew, has
In ten minutes time Neddy was in
the shafts and Mickey Sullivan, hav.
ing taken q potent stirrup Up. rel!n-
pushed the rope reins on his consort,
who was a donkey driver Of no mean
skill-ther was no stronger wrist to
chuck a mouth. no keener eye for a
vulnerable place in an animals hide
than hers in the whole barony.
However, the new purchase required
neither prodding o other modes Of
p~ursuasion, but took the ROAD in gall
LAM style, leaving a considerable circle
Of admirers around the door Of the
Three Shamrocks. He Travelled well,
n at II o'clock at night brought his
new owners safe and sound to the door
of their own crooked cabin.
Judy, hearing the wheels, ran out
with a candle in her hand to welcome
her parents and their purchase, and by
the light of her dip accorder the warm
est admiration to the latter. Finally
she unyoked him and turned him loose
to look for his ~supper-after the man
ner of old jerry.
The following morning by 9 o'clock
the neighbors had assembled in great
force to inspect the new ASSN fact,
the only ass that Thady's Corner could
boast. He was passed by a committee
of seventeen-men, women and chill
dren-as a nice, shapely little haste,
of a fine color and as we'll shod as If he
wer' d racer"
None Of the crumpled claw hoofs
Of ould Jerry, and wild a beautiful dock
ed forelock and an eye of his own in
his head" The purchase was suffered to
rest, and to remain on view for the
space Of that day, while Bridget and
Mick-who had scarcely recovered
from the delightful excitement of the
fair-regaled their hearers with items
Of intelligence, news of distant friends
n what II said" and they said;"
"how Mickey was in two minds to buy
a coach horse, but that Bridget had put
out of consate wild him, fOrby making
a holy show of Mickey himself before
half the boys. She was bent on an ass.
an an ass she'd have, and it had ended
in her having her say M in bringing
home the grandest little haste in the
fair, as they could all see wild their
own two eyes,"
Early the next morning Mickey Sui
livan yoked his new investment to the
car and set off briskly to the bog in
order to cut turf. The. sultry forenoon
gradually developed into a thick gray
mist and, finally, an angry downpour.
At first Micky and Thady Flynn, being
Kerry men, paid no attention to the
elements, but at length they were both
SOAAPSAAS0 W 9A$ASSA q LAX ACG oAoC
Of a turf camp, where, with a sack
over his shoulders and a dhudeen in
his mouth Micky made the best of cir
cumstances. He and Flynn discussed
the fair, the fishing, the potato spray,
the last land act and the prospects of
Cork Park races.
AN talking of racing, Nicky, I sup
pose there's no chance of you young
2-year-old taking he oad of his own
accord?" asked Flynn rather anxiously.
Not at all! In the first place, I have
him tethered with a bit ny a suggawn;
besides he has as much sense as an
old man."
"Well, it would be hard to bate old
Jerry for c%uteness; he was a great ass
in his day."
HE was so, but he was getting foun-
dered in the feet and shabby in thu
coat, an IN eyesore to herself, so I had
to get shut av him, an I was main sor-
ry, for Matty and him was reared to-
gether-and I always had a wish, for
the haste. Well, maybe we'd better be
making a push for home now. The
new little chap may be getting UNI
aisy in himself standing so long in the
pouring rain" And Micky, with some
difficulty, got upOn his legs, drew the
sack over his head and hobbled stif1y
away to where he had left his yoke.
Yes. there in deed was the cart, but
where was the new chap, the gay little
brown donkey?
Micky stared in appalled, silence, then
pinched himself vigorously, finally
turned fiercely to his companion, and
shouted in a hoarse, tremulous voice:
Nov, what pistrouge is this? What
old witch has been casting spells on me
grand new ass? What do call you
haste, Thady Flynn"
"Faix, av I didn't know hat I was
sober, an av I hadn't me swim senses,
I'd call him ould Jerry. An may I
never, II he dosen't know his name!''
he added in an awestruck key.
IT'S some blaggard as has gone and
robbed me" shouted Micky; taken off
the young one and left me with his
old God help US! Tis either that, or
the fairies! I'm thinking"
AN I'm thinking as it is the tinker
as has been playing his little tricks On
we ag'in. Sure, they are the greatest
-I e.