Mineral Point tribune. (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1869-1938, 1871-04-13
From the Little Corporal.
TOmmy's Mcnagcrie.
FOR THE WEE ONES. BY PRUDY.

FOR THE WEE ONES BY PRrDY.
1t was all Uncle Jims fault, every
bit of it, because, if he hadn't taken
Tommy to the museum, to see ths
wild beasts, and snakes, and curious
animals, Tommy never would have
thought of such thing as menagerie.
And Uncle Jim wasn't very much to
blame either, for Tommy's papa and
mamma went away for whole week,
and took the baby, and left Tommy
and Uncle Jim with only Bridget, and
so, of course, they would get into some
mischief. Well, as said, Uncle Jim
took Tommy to the museum, and |
couldn't begin to tell you how many
wonderful things he saw--a canary
bird that could dance on tight rope
and fire gun; and rooster without
any head, that walked about and
crowed lot OF monkeys in cage ;
and, strangest of all, what they called
"7he Happy Family" which was a
great cage, whore couple of cats, a
dog, some white mice, long tailed
rat, o lot of birds, and several other
animals all lived together. They didn't
look very happy, but then they didn't
eat each other up, and that is all you
can say Of some other "happy lam
lies.
Tommy talked great deal about the
museum, and thought about it a great
deal more. He asked his Uncle Jim all
manner of questions, as they sat at
breakfast the next morning. Uncle
Jim was slipping his coffee and reading
his paper, and trying to make up his
mind whether there would be war in
Europe or not, so he only listened oc
casionally to Tommy's questions,
though he answered them Just the same.
"Uncle JIM" said Tommy, chow
you s'pose they caught that big snake9'
"Um, yes; presume so, said Uncle
Jim.
Tommy looked hard at Uncle Jim,
and ate three mouthfuls of toast. Then
he ventured again.
"Uncle Jim, what you spose they
stuff up those birds wide The ones in
the big cage, wild their wings all flutter-
ed out So"
Yes; most likely said Uncle Jim.
Tommy didn't see the point, so he
thought about it little while, until
Uncle jim laid down his paper to but
ter muffin.
"Uncle JIM" he began, ''why don't
that cat eat up the birds and things ~
80, said Uncle jim, quite nationally,
they're used to living together.
dare say they didn't like it very well at
tirst-have a muffin, Tommy 2"
Tommy decided to have muffin.
and while he was eating it Uncle jim
went away, and Bridget came in and
told him to finish his breakfast quick,
for she was in hurry. Tommy was
never in hurry, but he finished his
breakfast, and went and sat on the back
steps, to feed his pigeons and watch for
Billy There We're two white pigeons,
with great, spreading fan tails, and one
beautiful slate-colored pigeon, with
glossy feathers that shaded into green
and purple, and red, in the sun. They
ran about on the clean, gravel walk,
with their pretty, red feet, cooling and
ehattering, as they picked up the corn
Tommy threw them. The great, NAL
tese cat came up to Tommy, rubbing
her sleek fur against his feet, and try
ing her best to say "good morning to
him. The pigeons were not at all
afraid of the cat, and all at once it
occurred to Tommy that he might have
happy family, if he only had cage
to put it in.
just at this unlucky moment Billy
came sauntering up the alley, eating n
thick slice of bread and molasses
Tommy hailed him directly, and the
two boys went out and sat in the door
of the woodhouse, while all the marvels
OF the museum were talked over
1t was great triumph to Tommy to
be able to tell Bill, anything that he
dld not know, and his eyes grew bigger
and bluer every moment with excite
meat.
An more'n million birds, Billy
wild all their fedders, and wings, fut-
tered out, only but they couldn't fly :;
an lots of awful big snakes, all stuffed
full OF tings they swallowed, an little
bits of snakes, all picked up in per-
sseree bottles, and monkeys in a cage,
but they was alive, and they don't never
feed EN-, cause it said you mustn't, on
a card that Uncle jim read An | like
the monkeys best, cause they can just
stand up in the air and hold on wild
their tails"
I've seen a NOISY, myself, sad
BllIy ttup ~, 'ay,,