The commonwealth. (Greenwood, Miss.) 1896-1923, 1907-06-28

use them in China to kill murderers
and robbers. They put wan O. thin
big firecrackers bechune the teeth OF
Il murderer and make him light the
fuse wild his own hand and blow his
own head OFF. Thin Chinese is mighty
crool, Mickey, mighty crool."
This vivid description inflamed Mick
ey's desire, which vas Casey's motive
in telling it, for the incident occurred
on the eve of the Fourth, and Casey
was afraid that the big firecrackers
would be carried over the national hol-
iday and remain a loss un his hands,
In order to deepen the impression al.
ready made upon the boy Casey per-
mitted him to handle one OF TIE twins.
The boys eyes had widened to
their utmost capacity when he was
outside the window, but now that he
could feel .he red jacket his hands
trembled With the eagerness of pos
session AMI he would have given ten
years of his life to own it.
Take it along wild you, Mickey"
said Casey, cajolingly. Thin crack
ers were made In Chow Chow, in
China, for the Cooney Island trade,
and want to get rid of thin | have
on hand before | send another order
to Wan Lung, the haythin."
But I have no money" said Mick.
ey ~sorrowfully. My father is goin' to
give me three punches of little fire.
crackers and a pinwheel, but | know
he wouldn't buy wan o. thin big fire.
crackers for me-"
We'll" continued Casey, you come
down here tomorrow mornin' and
carry in a half ton Of coal for me and
I'll give you the big cracker"
The next morning Mickey was busy
for two hours carrying chestnut coal
in a nail key and dumping it in Casey's
cellar. Just after noon, with a smile
covered with coal dust and a bosom
full OF %chuckles, he received his prize.
No grass grew under his bare feet
as he ran homeward, the precious
powder mine clasped to his bosom.
Holding the big f~irecracker aloft as
he darted through the kitchen door,
he exclaimed:
Mother, | have 1t! Amt it a
beauty?"
Wei, | don't see anything about 1t
to be maxim a fuss over" said Mrs.
Finn, who, like most mothers, had
love for fireworks. Now, don't be
bringin' it nearer to me, as Mickey
toward her. Il don't want to be
blown into the middle O. next week.
Throw the dirty thing away! I'm
afeered o me life while you have 1t in
hands! Now, don't be goin' near
the stove wild it! Arrah, We little
spalpeen, will we take it off the stove?
Take it off afore We blow the roof off
The house!" and the frightened woman
into the bedroom, and peered
the keyhole.
With the recklessness of boyhood
exclaimed, as he lit a match
and reduced his mother to Mysteries
pretending to light the firecracker
stem:
You needn't be Altered, mother. I'll
nip 1t out afore 1t goes off"
In this simple fashion the afternoon
the Fourth passed away in the Finn
household varied by tn boy with oc.
'asional visits to the neighbors, whom
threw into a panic of fear by pre-.
ending to light the big explosive.
Mrs. Murphy and her three children
we're gathered around the kitchen
able when Mickey placed the lighted
in the middle of the table.
Fwo Of the boys went head first
through the window, while Mrs. Muir.
Thy tried to crawl under the kitchen
itove.
All this excitement afforded the boy
good deal Of delight, but he re.
erved for the evening the culmina.
Of his joy. He intended to blow
is father up as he sat in his chair on
he back stoop.
Mickey thought 1t would be an In.
piring sight to witness his father fly.
ng across the back yard and pillow.
ng up the ground with his nose. In
rider that he nigh. have an audience
appropriate TO so great an occasion. /,
Hickey had spread the news among
II the boys of the neighborhood, and
t nine O'Clock so boys sat on the
anCp surrOundipp t.,e hacLr ward NIr