MRS. LEARY'S COW A LEGEND OF CHICAGO By C. C. Hine New York 1872 Presented By The Black River Insurance Co., Watertown, N. Y. [Illustration: 001] [Illustration: 002] [Shortly after the Chicago fire, there appeared a dismal-looking photograph card of this celebrated bovine, on the reverse of which was printed this remarkable legend: "ORIGIN OF THE CHICAGO FIRE. "On the other side of this card will be found a life-like picture of Mrs. Leary and the cow that kicked over the lamp that caused the great fire in Chicago. "Mrs. Leary got her living by selling milk; she had five cows, and kept them in her barn on De Koven street, on the west side of the river. A neighbor woman called on her for a pint of milk at nine o'clock Sunday night, October 8th, and Mrs. Leary, having sold all she had, went to the barn with her lamp to make a further draft on her best cow. The cow, as seen by the picture, being a spirited animal, became indignant at the attempt, kicked over the lamp, setting the barn on fire, and thus inaugurated the greatest fire the world has ever seen."] MRS. LEARY'S COW. |THIS is the Cow, at the Leary back gate, Where she stood on the night of October the 8, [Illustration: 003] With her old crumpled horn and belligerent hoof, Warning all "neighbor women" to keep well aloof. Ah! this is the cow with the crumpled horn That kicked over the lamp that set fire to the barn That caused the Great Fire in Chicago! |THIS is Chicago, all blasted and burned, The Paradise whither insurance men turned; But from which they now bring sad faces away, Sorely vexed with the losses they're called on to pay, Since the fire-fiend encircled the city that day. And they swear at the cow with the crumpled horn That kicked over the lamp that set fire to the barn That caused the Great Fire in Chicago! [Illustration: 004] |THIS is the Frame Range of best northern pine, The banquet on which hungry flames love to dine, Which agents so oft manage _not_ to decline, But write (in their slop-bowls) a "moderate line," Because--don't you see--the commish is so fine. [Illustration: 005] Ha! this is the range which delighted to carry The passenger flames o'er the devil's own ferry, And utilize mischief by spreading it faster Than men could compete with the fearful disaster. How sad and how strange are the memories now Which hang round the heels of that old Leary cow-- That wretched old cow with the crumpled horn That kicked over the lamp that set fire to the barn That caused the Great Fire in Chicago! |THIS is the Company, gloomy and glum, Which admits that it has some few (?) losses, yes _some!_ But its officers think their best motto is "mum," As they stroke their gray chins and look wise and sing dumb; [Illustration: 006] While inside they are praying, "Good Lord, please deliver Our souls from the fear of old Miller's receiver." And they view with the most acrimonious hate