The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1899-07-30
MICKEY FINN's GoAr REyAsCENT
Dose of Lightning Applied After n Dole
full limo Among the NeiRhbors.

A Dose of Lightning Applied After n Dole
full Time Among the Neighbors.
The benediction OF July lay upon Cooney
Island The air was redOlent of apple and
sweetbriar blossoms Bunblehees clothed in
velvet stole honey from clover blooms and
hummlngblrds vibrated In and out OF hanging
vines. Blacksnakes summed themselves in tho
dusty road. Cool breeze from the long
reaches OF the Hudson swept over tho hill and
stirred tho wheat zelda into uudulating bill
lows. Cabbages wlltcd in the fervcnt heat and
onions thirsted for the cooling rain. Mickey
linns back ached az he welded the carrots in
the leisureiV manner Of a man working by the
dav He was hot and thirsty and the stone-
bruse on his heel hurt The trees in the cool
wood across the meadow seemed to bcckon to
linn with their leafy fingers. In his misery
he execratsd the man who invented carrots
and consigned to torment weeds and work.
The warmth Of tho day had driven the billy
goat from his barrsl on tho hillside. With hts
teeth he RULED IN the stake to which his rope
was tied, and rambling down tho sunny slope
OF Stumpy Field with easy insouciance he
crossed the railroad track and came out upon
the edge Of bluff overlooking Browns pond.
Here tho rich grass was deem and luXuriant
aud butteroups dotted the field with yellow.
The grass was 30 cool and inviting that the
goat lay down to stretch his legs He nipped
OFF The few white clover blooms Ia hi. I'M me-
diats vicinity ana then yaWued in tho blas6
fashion common to sybarites. Gazing around
with tho sleepy. ha!l-shut ewes Of a gourmet
VIII had satinted himself with juicy ruta-
ba.as and surculent potato earrings. he saw III
the pond below him u goldfish genus CY-
pr,LSI la2ily ceayimg is way through the
water. The goaG had never seen Il specimen
Of tnis species before. His curiosity led him to
get upon his feet and to walk out to the edge
@! the bank in order that lie night get Il nearer
view. Ru. wnel lie reached the marUiu OF the
pond SOD gaze way beneath his feet. a plain
tiN" ma-a-a-a! rang out over tho valley. and
down no went into ten.'fee OF cruel water
Meanwhile the goldfish swan away When
the goat arose to the surface "a realized that
his uatatorial education had bsen neglected
Bat the old batterIng ram yaliantly swan 20
the shore. Here he found the bank So steep
.hat he could not climb il. Again and again did
he Eet Il ioothold. only TO fan back ward into
the. water. while Murphys drake and ten
ducks stopned swimming to watch the goat
struggle for his life.
1t il Il matter Of grave dispute among the
amateur historians Of Cooney Island as to
whether Mike Walsh. who drives the COWS or
the railroad track. or Tin Cronin. from his
lofty terch ON the top Of the !.mckiln. is ell
titled to the .crsdit OF Giscoysrug.the goats
precarious situation. But Mrs Murphy is posi-
tive tina. she heard. with her own ears. the
clarion yawp of Mr. Cronin as hs said:
Help. Help! The goats dronniug."
Assuming that Mrs MurphY's statement IL
correct, and 1t ought to lie. because hor ears
are very large. the terrible cry rang out over
tho hamlet like funeral kuell. Little chill
drsn heard it and ran with blanchsd faces
I raj lA Ia
turaIist. who vas strewing paris green over her
potato Patch dropped her tomato can and
Joined in the crowd Mothers left their babies
in the cradles, strong men abandoned their
hoes in the corntslds, The awful words OF
warming wen: from mouth to ear all over
the island. until /. seemed that tho sun had
stupued shining and gloom hung ever tho val-
lsys as smoke hangs over Pittsburc
Tho goat had gone down twice when Mrs.
Ohrsn reached the bank above him. but he
was Su!l rIurkIy nghtlng for his life.
JACK Doolan ''TII tax" hdlI q y@2r rce Ell and
lover YOU SO YOU can grab his horns"
end. Mrs. OBrIen II tho middle and twenty
boys and girls holding Oh t. her ores, aud her
horus, with a ong uil, strong pun ~ and Ei'S
pull altogether, they lifted him out of the water
and IHid him uron the grassy bank. Tbs goat
EFFORT to gel uuun his feet. but his strength had
Jreu uNcriaxed and he fell back uuun ths grass
and tainted. II" was limp as Il wet rag Ills
ewes were closed. and he was TO all Appearances
dead. It was sorrOUiul group that stood
around tho PROSTATE animal. Mrs. OBricn
buried her face III her apron. and her lament
resonant and sepuchral, rang dolsfulIy over
the hill. IT. ricu"hetted from Dooaus barn
AGAINST the fence and roUounded into the back
Yard OF the Finn estate vac ''|"
Mickey Finn raised his startled eyes to his
mother who was sitting in the window read
ing how Gwsndo.n Montmorency climbed
over the convent walls into the arms OF h 81
enough u rery 10 McGeys silent inquiry:
think that's Mrs. O'Brisn's keen You
had better 20 out and SEQ is the SOW dead she's
leen sick rncs Saturda'. But mind you get
tArH IN time tn finish them carrots" she con-
Cl4ded. a. Mickey vanished over the fence.
When Mickey arrived A. the scene Of dISas-
ter j" fell on his knees beside the prostrala
animal and he'll! small round pocket mirror
DetoT" the goat Rpstrllb.
Nou needn't he mAw'in' any more, Mrs.
Oll'"n, he said The goats no, dead yetm'
How dye know" asked sheNnxiou4y
Brkis5 ! eau see the wet VI his breath on
the lpokin glass" he replied. Turning 10 |
DuClau Ii" said
'Ean for q ,wheeIborrow. and, Cassidy, you
~ such stun were heroes ever made. Lean.
der swan the lielIcso OHt. David killed Goliath
with a hrlrk, jusrUh left his coaitails In The |
pos 'essi'n II Mrs. poHrhar and Mlckey linn
rs the bows started or Mickey turned his
attention Ia the goat. He had a lirtis crude |
E""wI"dE" % i'r~. all g the drowning. learned |
IRON u"w-vaI"r article,
ns pas WathEr II HIM. III go blil, hs.ex-
Twrnt1 willing hands were extended and !
seized No goat and held him W by the hind |
l"gs 1uhrt Of wH'rr ran from his mouth. |
Al MirHej's direction they lad him down upon |