Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1901-01-19

cy Finn stories have been reao thlousnou
the entire Engilsh speaking world. ano
have everywhere been popular The late
& a Dana said OF them: They contain
the most admirable celineGson OF char
actsr. together with rare ieneiN IN rns
description OF the woods and aeles. Int
following story Is taken from one OF Mr.
Jarrold's books recently pubhSheo oy
Jamieson-HIggins Co, Chieaso.
The air Of Cooney Island palpitated
with the fervent heat OF day IN
Laly. The hot air radiated up from
the meadows and the dusty road Ike
heat from a furnace. Even the chick
ems sought the shade of friendly
trees. and the locusts laziiy chsnted
their midsummer threnody as Mickey
Finn came down Murray street with
tai cred geography, worn spelling
book and thumbed first reader an
der his arm.
Tie boy's face shone from it's re-
cert applica tion OF soft soap and wa
ter. 40 that the freckles stood out
like spots OF brick dust on either side
of his nc,e He had a stone bruise on
Or Of his toes. and was forced to
". x on one heel. As he limped along
n roadside. haif mile away in the
~-h.,. rarspcctive ne could see the lit
with its monotonous suggestions OF;
"Can-the-dog- g-catch-the-cat? fes-the-
dog-can-catch-the-ca
In fancy he heard the dreary tier
alton of the schoolroom, and saw the
blank white walls speckled with pa
per ~spit-baIls." He was hot and
tired and dusty, and his toe hurt.
The truth was. that he had asked
his mother to permit him 10 stay
away from school. and she refused to
allow him TO do so. Mrs. fnn's at
tention had been pathetically drawn
to the sore toe. and she had said thai
the injured member would not hur'
him any more at school than a
home. And so the boy looked eros
and felt ugly towards the distastefu
.eddicat;on." which his mother forces
upon him. As he limped along tn
dusty road, he looked off over tn
meadow and saw the naples an
pines in Lindsley's wood whisperin
10 each other. as they waved i'm IN
breeze which blew fresh and coo
from the Hudson river. These whi'
pers Mickey interpreted as coaNin
invitations. which sounded TO him q
follows:
"Come. little Mike. and lie under OF
protecting branchesl Here you wi
find the tender birch bark and II
iuicy sassafras root Upon OF
shady hilloclSs hidden by gloss
green leaves. hide the red winte
green berries awaiting your coming
The tree toad will sing his little sol
for YOU. the babbling spring is al
tilling a sparkling liquor for yo
thirsty lips, and the shady coverts
our sylvan dells await you''
With these enchanting voices in
ear the temptation TO play hook
was a strong one. The tempter
men came TO him with the iqJ
melody OF birds, the soft wooing
futtering leaves, the rustic of
pines thin fingers, and the gurgle
brooks. And a. he stood in the dus
road and looked down into the h
low at the sun beating fiercely up
the windows of the little red scho
house. aud realized how sitting v
the air inside. what wonder that
hesitated
Then the reproachful face of
mother rose before him. As III
Mike loved his mother and feared
rehuke more than he did her he
hand. the thought of her grief
pe,led him onward toward the sch
Bet he could not shut out of his n
tai sight the picture of the cool I
adise in the wood where the Ii
- LAKE rippled in the sunlight.
where. far below. ran the wide re;
es f the Hudson river as it loits
TO the sea. And in this entranS
picture his mothers face was bio
out as with a sponge from the 5
Of his mind; the schoolhouse was
gotten and he limped eagerly TOW
\ the stone wall TO which chung tn
otous wild raspberry bushes Is
with fruit Forgotten was the
toe. lost sight OF was the long. b
strap hanging on the kitchen =
and left behind was the dusty
and all the suggestions OF work
On arriving at the summit of
hill little Mike turned in his tr
and looked down upon the SCI
house He saw the master com
the door and ring the bell, and
schoolmates scamper like corr
sheep into the building. Then
door was shut and Mickey rea
that his sin was irrevocable.
trembled, too, when he tho
that he would have 10 make CO
sion TO the priest. But II was
late to retyaee his steps He was
in the narrow path leading to
woods. He took of his tattere'