The star of the north. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1849-1866, 1857-08-19
GNAwING A FILE.

ana kpot-hoies, and sundry holes OF his own
making, he bad an extensive circuit through
the whole house. From front to L., and from
cellar 10 garret, wherever there was anything
that would minister TO the comfort of his
outer man, he was sure to find il and help
himself. One room was used as granary,
and the door was kept carefully closed. The
old rat used 10 hear The sound of the grain,
as il was poured upon the floor, or into the
barrels, and q strong desire possessed him
TO know, from personal observation, what
was in the room. Blu, there was no way for
him 10 crafty ,ha, desire but by mskins en-
entrance through an oak board PARTITION
So, one night, after all was quiet in the
house, he sal himself vigorously about the
undertaking and though he found ii rather
a jaw-achng operation. yet he KEEP, up such
an ncessant nibbling, tina, long before day
I,gh, his task was accomplished, and his
had toll was rewarded by q plentiful repart
at The pile of grain. For some days aud
night. he passed in and ou: al pleasure, end
enjoyed high living, without. let or hinderance.
But the proprietor at length discovered the
hole which he had made through the parli-
tion, and al once concluded that he would
lay an embargo upon that sort OF fun; so he
thrust file into the hole.
The next time the old rat essayed 10 pass
in he found slight impediment in his way;
aud he tried in vain to remove it. At last
said his ralship, 81 know what have done.
lean gnaw of that stick, for it isn't half as
thick as the oak board through which |
gnawed the hole" So at il he went again.
He thought The file was good deal. harder
than the board, but he was moi determined
not 10 give il up. Indeed, il was promi-
nent article in his creed, never 10 back out.
"Ah, a workman Is known by his chips"
said he, as he looked and discovered quite
little pile, that looked very mnch like
ivory saw.dust, though he wondered that
his chips should be so light colored. 81
shall fetch ii yet" said he, and he applied
himself with renewed vigor
But at length he discovered some blood
on the file where he had been gnawng.-
He Instantly clapped his paw 10 his bleed
ing mouth, when behold! he made this
discovery: that instead of gnawing the file,
the file had actually gnawed his teeth down
TO the gums. For moment he stood quite
confounded. AT last he said, "for once
made food out of myself" And so be
had for he was not only obliged to go sup
PEERLESS to bed, but what was of vastly more
consequence, he had lost good sci of teeth
which would be quite indispensable in pro-
curing his future suppers. And here we
will leave his ralship, in order 10 make an
application of the story.
Men ought to be wiser than rats; but they
are not, foI they also frequently gnaw file
A person gnaws file when, just for The
sake OF having his own way, he obslinately
persists in doing that wsich is against his
own inieres,s-that which Injuries himself a
vast deal more than anybody else.
Here is an illustration A boy carelessly
hit his foot against stone, and as a natural
consequence il ached dreadfully. He in.
slantly made up his mind that he would
have his revenge. So he ga, down and
went 10 beating the stone with his fist; and
he only desisied when he ceased 10 feel any
pain in his foot in consequence OF the more
severe pain in his bruised knuckes. Now
he had his own way-he took his revenge,
but il was gnawing file.
Here is another: A boy whose name
feel little delicate about mentioning, once
got little grou,y al something which his
mother required him 10 do; so when be was
called 10 dinner, 10 show his independence,
said, with pou,ing lips, "I don't want any
dinner" Now he was hungry enough, but
he was determined he would not eat, out oil
spite. He overheard his sister say, "Guess
he'll get hungry by supper time;" hu, he
though, within himself "You'll see." So
he nourished his wrath TO keep it warm, and
when his sister called him 10 supper, he
grunled out more grouiy than ever, 81 don''
want any supper"
But as he turned TO go of he heard his
mother say, "You'll be cheap boarder al
this raie.n So he had the blessed satisiac'
tion of having his own way and went snp'
PEERLESS to bed, where he repenled at his
leisure. There he lay and thought the mat
ter all over again and again. He finally
came 10 the Unanimous conclusion" in his
own mind that he was great fool for hav-
ing done as he had; for he had injured no
mortal living so much as himself. IT is al.
mos. unnecessary 10 add, that he had re-
markahle good appetite for breakfast; and
that, from that he was Of The unshaken opin'
ion that il was miserably poor policy 10 gnaw
file.
We might give illustrations equally peril
nent from those of ripper years, but we for
bear.