MRS. McGANN.

Auckland Star, Volume XXXIX, Issue 177, 25 July 1908, Page 13

MRS. McGANN.

(By Max Adder.l We were sinin;; >i;x>ii a four-rail rcn<-<> In the nintitry. talking nlmul I lie depression of trade, when a huge buzzard swept past us :i little distiincc above nur heads. •Thnt." said Woodniff. pointing to tin bird. 'Teminds of Mrs Mctinnn. •'I don't understand you." I s::ld. ••Ymi didn't know Mrs MrltannV" he ask od. ••No? Well, sin- lived in our town. and one day her hUKbiiml. who had m inventive turn. |{oi up «U.it he called 'Tin MeCann I'alenl InUulPd Bustle.' " •■What was ii Inllalod with?" "Why. you see. ll was a large ludia-rubl." hag, and MeGrum's nuiiuii w;>s M till it will pas. so thnt it woul'l distend ihe dress t> auy desirable extent. So I tic llrst one hi made he -used in an experiment M- : MoGnnn. She placed it tinder her dress and stood out in the yard while MelJann eon npctod the bustle wltli the kitchen gas-plpc by means of a flexible lube. For a while i I seemea to promise well: but I don't knot how It was. raaybp MrGnnn used more ga than he luti<ndpd—but. however, all uf i snddeii -Mrs MeUann began to float In t!.. air. As she rose a gust of wind struck her nun she had barely time to scream to Mc Onnn to pnt the children to bed. and to in struct tin; hired sir! nbout mixing the niuf tins: tlio next minute she was above tli . snow-line: ,, '•Did she come down arainV" "Well. I whs going to tell you. You knot she lloaled around In I ho upper utinoxplicr for a while, looking lit thunder-storm*, an the aurora borealis, and Ihe zone belt. au< ' so on, and probably having a pretty high ol ; time, although she was badly scurr-d, mi reit the want of her jacket and her eyi glasses. So she drifted about, you uiidei '• stand, being shot at now and then by mc ■ who mistook her for a new variety of Hi iningo or something of that kind. Si i gradually descended after a while, and sli was alarmed. In passing over the town. \v> | a man who fired a; her, under the impre: sion tlant she was an ostrich, should pel , forate her bustle, and bring her down I I a condition of collapse." , "How did she RCt flown?" •Tin coming to that. You see. she wa ' being tossed about by various currents i • air, hut going rather quietly, when all :; 5 once a tornado or something came alonj and slammed her with frightful forr 0 against thu I'reshytcriau Church steepl 1 "The Presbyterian Church?" "Yes. the l'reshyterlan steeple. And a ( > she hit it, yon know, the point of the we: { ther-vane. entered the bustle, and let all 111 n gn« out. So there she hung suspendei •When the wind veered, she would swin around lirst in one direction, and then In ai other, her pajasol pointing east or west, i ■ north or south, just as the breeze happeur to blow. It was generally allowed that sL II made a. very handsome weather-vane, ft she was a good-looking woman; and as fc I the sexton of the church, he was in favoi p of leaving her there as an ornament." •1 "But she got down, of course?' - ---"I was just going to tell you. She Stayi: o there all night, while McGaun rigged up balloon to go up after her: but the balloc exploded about half way up, leaving McCau i- clinging to the tiles of the spire. The in p presslou seemed to be that if the trustee would simply let the Mellauns alone tl wuote family would eventually be foun s roosting about on that church steeple." "Hut how did they get her down?" p "Why. I was just going to say that M Gaun had another bustle at home. So 1 * sent a boy for it. had it inflated, tied rope to it, and sent it up, so that it drifu " over to Mrs McUann. She inserted it until her dress, and then they hauled in on ll rope, and, as she descended MeGann clasp* '■ her waist with his arm, and they came don tl wnn a rush." ••Was she hurt?" "No: but McGaun was." '• "How?" n "Why. as soon as she touched ground si i, seized his hair, and shook him aronnd so I .' I didn't know whether he was in Arkansi H; or l'eiti. Then they went home, and si II burned up ail the bustles in the house." O "Is that a I rue story. Woodruff?" ~. ■•Sure: Thunder and lightning. m.-,n. con around with mc. and I'll show you the vei 11 steeple she collapsed on!" »■ But still, I have my doubts ahont it.