Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-04-13

go my, Billy, you'd ought to see
the happy family" exclaimed Tommy,
frisking off from the step in his ex-
element, and then coming back again,
You see, they don't like it at first,
Uncle Jim s'poses, but they get used to
it, and they all live together in big
cage-there's a cat wild a rat on her
back, and some white mice running
over little dog, and some birds, and
a monkey, and lots of fings"
Tommy" interrupted Billy, "you
go and ask Bridget for cookey, and
and get one for me-"
"Well," said Tommy, and away he
went. Bridget was just tying on her
hat She told Tommy she was going
to market, and if he would be good
boy she would bring him two balls of
pop corn. Tommy consented reluct-
antly, for he liked to go to market with
Bridget; and then she gave him two
cookies, and called him "nice little
gintleman.
While he was sharing his cookies
with Billy, he ventured to tell him
OF his plan for getting up happy
! family.
Tell We what" said Billy, "we can
do it. Bob's got big squirrel cage in
the barn, and well put in my puppy,
and S'lana's white MICE
And I'll catch Muff and one of my
pigeons" said Tommy, in an ecstacy
of delight.
There was nothing at all to hinder,
so the cage was brought over, the fat
oft Coo
his short legs would allow. I am afraid
the white mice where smuggled away,
for S'lena was very choice of her pets,
but they were brought, in some fashion;
and then Muff was bribed into Billy's
arms by bit of cooks, and held fast;
while Tommy expended all his skill in
catching the blue pigeon, which seemed
from the first to suspect something
There was no trouble in getting the
mice into the cage-1t was only to open
their box and tip them in, and they hid
themselves in a wink under the straw
on the bottom. The blue pigeon went
in easily, too, when it was once caught,
but old Muff was a tight squeeze, and
was only crowded through the door by
vigorous pushing, yowling dismally,
and leaving some lunches Of fur by the
way. As for the puppy, it Was clearly
of no use to try; so that part Of the
family was left outside
But Muff smelt mice, instantly, and
bounced upon them, Selling one little
unfortunate, while the other made his
escape through the bars of the cage.
and took refuge in the wood pile. 1t
was all over in flash, while Tommy
and Billy were consulting as to the
possibility of taking off the bottom of
the cage and putting Fido in that way.
And in the meantime Fido waddled off,
and had to be brought back, so neither
of them knew of the fate of the mice,
and Puss sat wiping her whiskers and
never gave hint.
Yes, the bottom of the cage would
come off; it was only fastened on with
hooks and after infinite trouble Fido
and Muff were squeezed in together,
and fastened there. Neither of them
liked the situation. They had been
perfectly amiable to each other in the
back yard and alley, but being shut up
together in cage was different affair.
SO Muff began to spit and scold, and
Fido to bark angrily, greatly to Tom
my's surprise and Billy's delight
"They'll get used to it, l guess, ;"
said Tommy, doubtfully; while Billy
rolled on the floor and laughed at every
fresh show of hostilities and the blue
pigeon perched in the top of the cage
and looked anxious and uncomfortable.
In the midst of it all, Bridget came to
the back door, calling Tommy, and
holding out two balls of pink pop
corn. Tommy ran instantly, Billy fol-
lowed at safe distance, and poor Fido
gave yelp and a plunge of despair, as
he saw his master disappear The bot
tom of the cage rolled one way, and
the top another Muf made one
bound and disappeared under the
woodhouse, Fido came tumbling fran
tically after Billy, and the blue pigeon
sailed up to the top of the roof to dress
his rumpled feathers. Nobody ever
heard from the white mice, but the
Happy Family was considered failure
That night Tommy ate his supper
very soberly, and scarcely spoke at all.
Only once he asked, gravely, "Uncle
Jim, how long you s'pose it takes 'em
to get used to it 2" And Uncle Jim
didn't know,
A New Invention for Bank Burglars.
l. l. l.