Martinsburg independent. [volume] (Martinsburg, W. Va.) 1875-1900, 1898-12-17

onto Fitz's bosom, SOS to hear him
better and ehs didn't see the ami
NAL either.
And That are goat give Fitz
shove that sent HIM ia tue air about
six feet, and somehow the critters
horns 90. hitched INTO his clothes
SOS they held f.s'. And there that
goat stool a-h'isting Fi.z up and
down, up and down, like an old
FASH med sew saw teter, and. Fitz a.
yelling at the very top of his lungs.
Sarah Jane she seemed TO have
lost her wits intircly, and danced
right up and down. and screamed
sMurderl murderr' with all her
might.
Abram was Citing hisself ready
to milk, but he heard her, and he
run and got the old gun that Grand
father Bigbee fit with in the wars OF
1912 and rushed to the rescue.
He got the gun aimed and all
ready to fire, when Mrs. Finnigan
come rushing to the spot.
Don't you dast for to touch me
goat you dirty blackguard you'll" she
screeched. ashes dearer to me
than me own sister. She's been
both father and mother to me twins!
Come here, me darlint, TO your own
motherl Come me precious!" And
she hid out a pan of pertater peel
ngs TO the pcsky critier; but by
this time the goats temper was up,
and she didn't recognize her mother,
nor her sister, either. And she give
Fitz another boost, and them
clothes of -hisn give way, and down
he come, and left the goat free to at
tend any other business she might
have on hand.
And what did she do but take
right at Mrs. Finnigan, and Mrs.
Finnigan she climb the fence in
jiffy, and stood there lettering back
and forth on the top rail, and call
ing on st Patrick and all the other
saints in the cullender to come and
preserve her.
Then it was that Abram fetched
of the old gun, and it hadn't been
fired for quiet spell, and it went
off at both ends and knocked Ab-ain
more'n rod, and in a minnit that
are goat was upon him, What would
have become of Abram no one knows
if it hadn It been for Ben Hanks, who
appeared onto the scene with a
pitchfork and punched the goat of.
And jest at that time up driv DR..
Squillsley; and he see what picnic
we was a-having, and he jumped
out Of his gig and got over the
fence.
"Let me give him some cblor-
FORM" said Squillsley; "that will
sort of divert his attention, and you
can all make your escape"
SIT amt no hints she," says
Mrs. Finnigan from the fence, shak-
ing her fist at the doctor, "and bad
luck to the man as goes for to give
her them nasty toothache dropsl
Jist you go about your business and
let me goat alone"
But Squillsley he got bottle out
of his pocket, and, approaching the
goat, he fred the contents full in her
face. The effect was something that
/ guess Squillsley hadn't calkerlated
en-.
That animal gave leap towards
him, and for a minnit you couldn't
see anything but Squillsley and the
goat rolling over and over in
cloud Of dust, and sometimes one
was on top and sometimes t'other.
The goat Yves a-butting and
Squillsley was kicking; and after
he'd sort of shook hisself together
Abram he got fence rail and made
the third man among them.
When the dust cleared away SOS
you could see the lay of the land.
the goat vas over in Mr.. Digby's
cornfeld, browsing the corn as if
nothing had happened. Squillsley
he was a-setting on a stump rub
bing the dirt out Of his eyes and
mouth with his fists. Mrs. Finnigan
was climbing down cff'n the fence
and swearing at Abram for firing
the gun, and that are young man of
Sarah James was streaking it for
the depot with no hat on, and his
coat was split from ear to ear, so to
speak.
Mrs. Finnigan she went and hug
ged that goat, and called it her
blessed darlint, and led it home.
Sarah Jane cried herself to sleep
that night, and we fed tramps for a
week on the cake she'd made for
Fitz.Jenkins.
She amt never heard a word from
him since, but / tell her not to fret
there's as good fish in the sea as
ever was ketched, if not better.
sFAAS n91E