The Birmingham age-herald., 1908-12-20

madamei An, I am one heart-busted!'
 "Ah, now, professor" said Mrs. Null doon, soothingly don't bawl anymore. There is sure no use bawlin' over split milk. If they be dead, they be dead. wouldn't cry over million dead fleas."
 '"rhe American fea-nor' said the pro- lessor, haughtily 'The Irish flea-no! The flea au naturel-nol But the educate flea of la belle France? The flea I have love, and teach, and make like sister, a sweetheart to me? The flea that have act up in front of the crowned heads of Spain that have travel on the ocean; that have travel on the land? An, Ma dame Muldoon, it Is no common bunch of flea! Of my busted feelings what will I say? Nothingsl Of my banged-up heart, what will l say? Nothlngsl But of those dead flea, those poor dead flea. so innocents so harmless so much money worth-for those must Monsieur Flannery compensate"
 As the professors meaning dawned on Mrs. Muldoon look of amazement spread over her face.
 "And would ye be maxim poor Mike
 
 cal heas he kilt, and him with his ankles so bit up they look like the smallpox, to say nothin' of other folks which is the same?" she cried. II Iris ashamed ye should be. Mister Professor. bringin' fieas into America and lettin' thim run loosel Ye should muzzle thim, Mister Profess sor, if ye would turn thim out to pasture in the boardin' house of a poor widdy. woman. and no end of trouble and worry. and every one sayin', Why did ye let tn Dago come for, annyhow| "
 The professor and his friends sat silent under this attack, and when 1t was fin- ished they arose.
 Be so kind" said the professor, po- litely, ito tell the Flannery the ultimatum of Monsieur the Professor Jocolino. One hundred educate French flea have l bring to the States United. Of the progeny I do not say. One milliard, two milliard, how many is those progeny I do not know, but of him I speak not. Let him go. l make the F1annery present of those progeny. But for those 100 fine educate French flea must he pay. One dollar per each educate flea must he pay, that Flanneryl It is the ultimatumi come Sunday at half-past one on the clock. That FNannery will the money ready have, or the law will be on him. It is sufficientl
 The three compatriots bowed low and went away. For fully i've minutes Mrs. Mudoon sat in a sort of stupor, and then she arose and went about her work. After all 1t was Flannerys business, and none of hers but she wished the men had gone to Flannery instead of delegatlng her to tell him.
 Thief of tn worrld" exclaimed Elan nery, when she told him the demand the professor had made. Sure, I have put me foot in it this time, Missus Muldoon, for kill thim l did, and pay for thim must dare say, but twill be no fun t do it. Did ever an Irishman pay the like before? One week ago Mike Elan nery would not have give one dollar for ali the fleas in tn world. But Have to- is horse man must ride, whether he wants to or mo-
 But the more Flannery thought about having to pay out $100 for 100 dead in- scots the less he liked it and the more angry he became. It could not be denied that N was a reasonable price for flea that had had a good education. He did not believe the heas were worth the price. and he inquired diligently, seeking to learn the market value of educated fleas. There did not seem to be any market value. One thing only he learned and that was that the government of the United States. in Congress assembled, had recognized that Insects have value, for he found in the list of customs duties this: Insects not crude, A cent per pound and 10 per cent ad valorum."
 AS Flannery leaned over his counter at the office of the Interurban Express company and spelled this out in the book of customs duties he frowned, but as he looked at 1t his frown changed to a smile, and from smile to grin, and he shut the book and put 1t in his pocket. He was ready to meet the professor.
 Good day to yez," he said, cheerfully, when he went into the little parlor on Sunday afternoon. and found the pro- lessor sitting there fianked by his two fellow countrymen. 'T have come t pay ye tn hundred dollars Missus Muldoon was tellin' me about
 The professor bowed and said nothing. The two gentlemen from Seventh avenue also bowed, and they too said nothing
 I'm glad ye spoke about it." said Flan- nery, good naturedly, flor 'tis always pleasure to Mike Flannery to pay his