The Wilmingtonian, and Delaware advertiser., 1826-02-02
From the New-Haven Journal.
THE RATS IN THE CELLAR.

Being tavern-keeper in the town Of CO.
than, and having two walters and no cat
| have been for some time much troubled
with rats The rats were over head, be-
tween ceilings, in the closets, in the bar.
and in the cellar. Neighbour Grumple, the
staymaker, came sometimes to sit with me
in the bar, of an eveEing. Talking over our
grievances, he complained Of his wife; but,
being widower, when it came to my turn,
talked about the rats. Neighbour Grum-
pie wished his wife among them, and for
my part, if it had not been uncivil, could
have found in my heart to wish them at his
wife. But, says l seriously, what are we
to do with these rats! They get into the
bar, they eat the bread and cheese, and
then the beer. Oh, poo! poo! stop there,
said neighbour Grumplc-rats drink beer!
Well, l don't know, says ], but there is cer-
tainly much beer wasted and did you ever
know that they dip their tails into long neck
bottles, and let one another suck them -
Neighbour, said Grumple, you astonish me!
but have trap-ler me lend you my
trap, and I'll insure you plenty of rats.
have plenty of rats already, said l.. Well,
mean to assure your catching plenty. So
neighbour Grumple and l talked till bed
time, and then he went away, and the next
morning he brought me the trap.
1t was trap, like man trap, with great
teeth So, says l, neighbour Grumple, you
don't want to catch men! Neighbour
Grumple, good soul. looked as pale as death,
the very idea of catching men seemed to
make him shudder. We'll, l set the trap in
the bar, and behold next morning l found
rat in it sure enough, stone dead with
great lump of cheese in his mouth. ! set it
for several nights, and always got rat next
morning. There was no more cheese, but
one morning ! caught large rat with
cork in his mouth Well, this is something
new, however. How came rats to be fond
of corks After all, considered itnot very
remarkable for the devils to be fond of
corks, when they were SO marvellous fond Of
bottles.
Tn about three weeks found all the rats
gone out Of the bar; but still they made
great noise in the cellar. Says ], my boys
I'll bring down your music. SO set the
trap in the cellar. But somehow the rats
in the cellar did not understand it: they
never even put their foot in t-still they
made great noise. One night Sopkins the
tailor came in, and 1 told him all this. Says
he, set lighted candle in the cellar, and
they will see the cheese in the trap, and I'll
warrant you they will take it. This was
scheme of neighbour Sopkins, for always
thought that rats were fond of darkness
that they were creatures which loved dark
ness rather than light, because their deeds
we're evil.' However, l thought l would
try the candle. ,.
told John and Joe, my two walters, to
BE sure to set lighted candle in the cellar,
and said by way of joke, that we would pay
every attention to the company there. The
walters started at mel laughed at them,
and they laughed harder than ever. Well
done nv boys said ], see you can enjoy
Joke. So they set a lighted candle in the
cellar.
The first morning after the light, there
was fine large rat in the trap just under my
best pipe of port, which sell from the
wood at five shillings the full quart. Bless
nv soul exclaimed !, how the fellow has
been bleeding The floor seemed covered
with blood: tried to find where he had
been wounded, but could find no mark Of
bruise, stab, or tare about him. He had
been bathed in blood; his under part had
been quite soaked in it. Well thinks there
must have been a battle; and this word bat
tie made me think of bottle-people so often
have battles over the bottle, and with that,
held the rat to my nose. What do you
think, sir?-he smelt Of port wine OH Oh!
says I, smell rat! 1t was new thing to
me, how any rat should drink port wine.