The Fremont weekly journal. [volume] (Fremont, Sandusky County, Ohio) 1867-1877, 1872-01-05
THE JOURNAL.
zee MOUSE ANp H1s rR1nNpg.
a Little Story for Little Readers.

tins wonderfully, streak of pale |
moonlight lay across the floor, and |
a merry little cricket was singing on
the hearth while the old clock beat
time for him.
"Tick, tick, tick, sing" said the
clock, and the cricket began. He
sang Of the beautiful summer time
and of the warm, glowing meadow.
A Mouse put his head out of a
hole. Don't let me interrupt you"
said he.
"Hullo!" said the Cricket. "We
are waiting for you. Come through
the moonlight for good luck"
"What good luck can there be for
a three-legged mouser said the new
conner, as he limped in and took a
seat before the fire.
20, don't be unhappy said the
Cricket. SIT will grow again"
"Neverp said the Mouse.
somebody will mend it, said
the Table. q have had two legs
broken off short and mended again"
Impossible" said the Mouse. 81
wish that old Trap vas"
my dear fellow" interrupted the
Trap, "don't be unreasonable. I've
nothing against you. 1t was only
in the way Of nv business"
"Is it your business to nip off my
legp said the Mouse, in passion.
at is my busines to catch you if
I can" said the Trap. "That's what
1 am here for"
81 wish you were not here, then,"
said the Mouse, "It was very pleas
ant before you came"
at was, indeed, said the Cricket.
'You used to come and see us every
night, and dance and frisk about as
lively as cricket, almost"
"My dancing days are over," said
the poor Mouse.
"O,dear no! Don't be down-heart-
ed, saiI the Andirons. "Here, blaze
away, you Fire, and make it LOOK
cheerful"
you'll find something to eat in
the crack under the table," said the
Broom. "Some split peas and "a
raisin. Cook tried to make me
sweep them away, but I wouldn't"
can old Broom knows where the
crumbs are" said the Cricket.
you are very right" said the
Mouse, as he went under the table
and brought out the feast.
Perfectly delicious" said he, as
he nibbled away. "It is long time
since I have tasted split pea
"Haye some cheese9" said the
Trap.
For shame!" cried the Broom.
Another word and Ill sweep you
away" So the Trap said no more.
"Come," said the Cricket, snow
tell us more about old times"
"Where did 1 leave off" asked
the Mouse.
"she didn't ike cats" replied the
Cricket.
20 yes. Polly didn't ike cats"
resumed the Mouse. 'She threw
water at them, and drove them away
whenever they came near the house.
So we were safe from them. She
lost the trap. She said she couldn't
tell whatever had become of it, and
that loss was our gain. When she
went out of an evening, she always
left the doors open SO we could
come in from the shed and go
straight into the pantry and help
ourselves is cheese and pies and
everything good"
"Catch Jane leaving the door
openr' said the Broom.
"No," said the Mouse. "If you
want to 90 in ao,D, you must gnaw
a hole, and by the time you get it
gnawed, they tillit up. l am expect
ing every day they'll stop up the one
1 have made behind the door,"
mot if l can help it," said the
Broom. "That's where I stand, you
know, and I try to hide it,
"Thank you" said the Mouse. 81
have some friends"
81 should think So" said the
Cricket. "She always left the bread
box open a little" continued the
Mouse, so that we could 60 easily
in and out of it. We never nibbled
whole loaf or a whole pie. Take
what was cut. That was the rule"
81 wish 1 had been here then,'
said the Cricket.
"Ah, we'll" sighed the Mouse, cit
was not all pleasant. Accidents
happened. Once a cousin of mine
fellinto deep pan of milk, and with
all that we could do we couldn't get
him out. 1 ran round the edge of
the pan as many as fifty times, and
came near slipping in myself, but it
did no good. We had to leave him
there, with his whiskers and the tips
of his cars sticking up through the
cream. Twas sad"
20 dear! If you had only had one
of my straws he could have clung to
it," said the Broom.
Perhaps so, replied the Mouse,
as he opened his eyes, Another
time, q friend of mine fell into
pitcher; and couldn't get out, and
we could do nothing for him. He
was taken prisoner, and we never
saw him spaip."
30, horrorsT exclaimed the
Cricket.
"And, though Polly was so kind
to US in some ways" conti6ued the
Mouse, "she didn't really seem to
ike us. I've known her to scream
and jump upon the table if one of us
ran out on the floor"
"And so have l." said the Table,
"to my sorrow"
"Come, come" said the Clock, as
he struck twelve. sit is time to 90
to sleep. I'm going to take a nap
myself, now have come to the small
hours, so good night