Carroll free press. [volume] (Carrollton [Ohio]) 1834-1861, 1857-04-02

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The Mouse and the Deacon.
an Adventure in an Indian Rubber Ooershoe, at
the Theological Seminary, Nev York.
A mouse, Gt is true,)
.u By young DSacOn's shoe
Once Wander'd, and psep'd DER the heel,
He wanted lodging,
And after much lodging,
lie thought this his lair would conceal
Then in he did go,
Aud he crept tow'rds the toe,
10 learn more precisely its form
And he found il all right
And rem Arkaby tight
And besides, most dsleetably warm.
Then he lay down to rest,
And he deemed himself blest
Such spacious apartment to find;
So quiet and snug
That be did himself hug
As the uckest mouse his kind.
The night il proved dark,
And there was but spark
From the crate to illumine the room;
But our fortunate mouse,
In his water.tight house,
Was annoyed not at all by the gloom,
The Deacon was snoring,
All danger ignoring,
When MOu'y began to feel badly;
For of supper, he'd none,
And what was to be done,
He desir'd to find out very sadly.
All quiet the house,
When the sly, hungry mouse
Crept abroad to procure a nights meal
Not partic lar was he
Just of what it might be,
Whether mutton, lamb, beef pork, or veal.
He hunted around
all upon the bare ground,
And then he sniff under the table;
But no scrap of good meat,
Nor Of aught fit to cat,
There to find, did he find himself able.
As well might he look
In a cookery book
For good piOus dscourses and prayrs;
Or go seek In a stable
For anchor and cable,
Among the old horses and mares.
." So he stole back to bed
And he laid down his head,
With feeling approaching to sorrow;
But of hope he had some,
That at leasta good crumb
Woul turn up for his breakfast tomorrow.
o, unsapient mOusel
In such a gault house
TO expect either breakfast or dinneri
Stay there, If you will,
But you'll necr get your fill;
You will only get thinner and thinner.
Now, just before dawn,
A long sigh and yawn
Betokend the Deacon moving,
And what followed after
(No subject for laughter)
see no just grounds for reprOving,
For soon he arose,
And he put on his clothes,
And, when he d performed his dsvotions,
The thing he did next
Was to choose out text
To expOund theological notions.
Without utt'ring worl,
. His fire he then strrJ
AfSr which to a closet he went;
And our mouse wes right glad,
Hoping stuff to be had
His stomach, so void to content.
But, instead of just that,
He uplilted his hat,
And he brushd it with tenderest care;
Then he put on his coat,
"a close fit round the thrOat)
And he set in good order his hair.
That the morning was wot
You full safely might bet,
For the Deacon next wanted his shoes;
Not to save from food,
r.G But to keep off the mud,
And : genial warmth to diffuSs,
But our mouse nothing knew,
"'" OF the use of shoe,
For his own feet were always quite bare;
True, he seldom went out,
Never travelri about,
Provided he had but good fare.
30, fearing no III,
He kept perfectly still,
To watch for the next operationi
When (0 sad to relate,
Our poor mouse's hard fatel)
.,,p He was brought into great triOulatiOp.,
For, or ever the mouse
+ Could get out Of his house.
One boot was thrust into it-sLAP;
.Has And, not needing his groans
y. .., -,,t It soon threaten'd his bones
And his flesh to squeeze all into pap.
i"' .' "oh a,asi Oh! woe me!
.'e "rm gone mouse, see"
IN bis agony now he exclaimed