Clarksville weekly chronicle. [volume] (Clarksville, Tenn.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-11
For the Chronicle.1
A Rat STORY.
ny OBSERVER.

coach was ready to proceed. After supper
the stranger was sitting in silent meditation
either In reviewing the past or contempla
ting the future, until aroused from his reve
rie by the bois ferrous and angry exclama
tions Of the hotel clerk, who, on opening hi
desk, discovered a large number of very
young rats in a box, evidently placed ther,
by some mischievous boys who had brough
them from the pork-house. The stranger
being cool and deliberate In his calculations
and wishing to break the m,notony of hi
situation, requested that they should be giver
to him, and he would have some amusement
Having obtained them, and enjoining Sc
crecy on the part of those persons present
he commenced operations by giving a shor
lecture on the nature of ferrets-their gres
value as rat exterminators, &c. In the mean.
time his audience increased in numbers, and
listened with intense interest to the disser.
tation of SO interesting a subject. Gentle.
men, (said the strangerD your town, am
Informed, is overrun with rats; they are like
the frogs in Egypt they are in your houses
barns, gardens, &C., and are to be found even
in your trunks and writing desks, indeed
everywhere. The only sure and practical
determination Of these detestable animals
is the Ferret little animal, qaick as
thought and yet perfectly docile when moi
on dnty. Perhaps all Of you have heard Of
Ferrets, but few have even seen them.
will now exhibit to your inspection choice
lot Of Irish Ferrets, the last that have
(Tbe crowd pressed forward and gazed with
astonishment.) Being the last that have
| will offer them at the low priceof one dol.
lar pair. The rats being not larger than
small sewing thimble, required much care
to raise them; but as to that minute direc.
tons were given, also, how to educate them
for the use intended.
The excitement grew intense-every one
wished to purchase-and the sale commenced
rapidly, but occasionally some one would
make himself appear ridiculous, by imagin.
ing that they looked very much like rats
at which many began to think and speculate
which would have led to mistrust, and
finally to detection of the joke had it moi
been for the imperturbable gravity, tact, and
quick perception Of the stranger, who, AZ
often, diverted their thoughts from tina,
track. by boldly admitting that they bore q
strong resemblance to rats, at that particu.
lar age, but as they grew, they would grad
ually develope their true nature and legiti.
nnatc use. This was satisfactory, and the
saie continued without interruption excep,
from the irrepressible laughter of the initia
ted. The stock had become nearly exhaus.
ted, and yet the demand momentarily in.
creased by new applicants. One who bad
supplied himself and had retired, suddenly
returned under great excitement to purchase
another pair, as cat had unceremoniously
made hasty meal of the former, as cats arr
wont to do. At this juncture, hat manu-.
facturer came in, almost breathless, TO sup.
\ ply himself, as he had been informed that In
addition to the propensity of rat catching,
that ferrets bore the finest fur, suitable fol
hats of the ne plus order. He was just in
time to get the last pair. At this moment
the coach drove up. "All aboardr Tht
stranger had private interview with ths
clerk, aud at the same time emptied his dis
tended pockets into the hands of the latter
of all the money he had received, enjoinine
upon him to pay back the amount to eact
one of the purchasers respectively, but which
was to be deferred until the following day
He also requested the clerk to say to thos.
who were disappointed in not getting sup
piled, that they could supply themselves with
ferrets, without cost, by merely visiting the
pork-house at the river near by. The mys.
terious stranger bid the company goodnight
and left for parts unknown.
That night was sanguinary one to young
ferrets; many of them became precious NOR.
sells to regale the voracious appetites Of
heartless cats. In the morning, great wal
the disappointment of those persons who had
been SO unfortunate, while the utmost salts.
faction beamed forth from the countenance:
OF Others, and, as yet all remaining entirely
ignorant Of their true position until noon
when roar of laughter burst forth in the
streets. The clerk was fulfilling his promise
in hunting up the purchasers, and paying
them up their respective amounts. All re.
ceived it good humoredly, except one person
who became much incensed as well as NOR.
tilted at his credulity. He not only refused
to receive the money, but positively denied
having made the purchase; and the more
witnesses that vert brought against him
the more angry he became. Throwing of
his coat, he threatened to fight any man who
dared to charge him with having had any
thing TO do with the affair. The scene, Al
this time, was ludicrous IN the extreme, and
1t was agreed by all to let him alone. Year
afterward II would have been dangerous
experiment to have spoken of ferrets in hil
presence.
In commenting upon the whole matter, !
was the general conclusion that the strange
was yankee, and that he had played then
yankee trick. But the sequel Of bis per
formance, that of paying the money back
was so magnanimous, that II was conclusive
evidence he was not yankee, whateve