02345cam a22003133u 450000100060000000300070000600500170001300600020003000700050003200800410003701000130007804000110009104100170010205000110011910000440013024500420017426400510021630000470026733600260031433700260034033800360036650000310040250800900043352013570052353400450188065300460192585600430197199900170201445066UtSlPG20260610134032.0mcr n260607r2014||||utu|||||o|||||||||||||| d  a07019952  aUtSlPG 7aen2iso639-1 4aHGaPS1 aHine, C. C.q(Charles Cole),d1825-189710aMrs. Leary's Cow: A Legend of Chicago 1aSalt Lake City, UT :bProject Gutenberg,c2014  a1 online resource :bmultiple file formats  atextbtxt2rdacontent  acomputerbc2rdamedia  aonline resourcebcr2rdacarrier  aRelease date is 2014-03-07  aProduced by David Widger from page images generously
provided by The Internet Archive  a"Mrs. Leary's Cow: A Legend of Chicago" by C. C. Hine is a satirical poem written in the early 1870s, shortly after the great Chicago Fire of 1871. The book centers around the humorous yet tragic tale that purports to explain the origin of the fire, attributing it to a cow belonging to Mrs. Leary, who accidentally kicked over a lamp. Through its lighthearted narrative and whimsical illustrations, the poem serves to reflect on the calamities that ensued after the disaster while also delving into themes related to insurance, loss, and societal reactions to misfortune.  The story unfolds through a series of verses that chronicle the events leading up to and following the catastrophic fire. Mrs. Leary and her spirited cow become central figures, with the cow's fateful kick initiating a chain reaction of destruction in Chicago. The narrative further explores the absurdities of insurance claims and the reactions of various stakeholders—including claimants, adjusters, and insurance companies—illustrating the blend of tragedy and humor that characterized the aftermath of the fire. With a mix of satire and social commentary, the poem captures the sentiments of a city grappling with its losses while poking fun at the complexities of the insurance industry and human nature in times of crisis. (This is an automatically generated summary.)  nOriginal publication data not identified  aGreat Fire, Chicago, Ill., 1871 -- Poetry40uhttps://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/45066  c85905d85905