The democrat. [volume] (Weston, W. Va.) 1868-1874, 1873-10-13

Mr.. Benjamin Taylor, OF Taylor, Dun
away 4 Brothers, lumber merchants,
on Eighth street, relates an incident Of
which he was IN eye-witnessat his ltlm.
ber.yard, that strongly illustrates that
universal feeling, mother-lose, which
so pervades MI animal life.
In removing the last boards OF stack
Of planks, q rats nest, with nino young
ones; was found underneath. The lit
tie rodents were about the size Of mice,
and were ablo to crawl about OF lively
rate. An old.iashioned wire trap was
procured the young rats put into 1t, q
weight put on the top, and it was left
on the nest and watched. The trap
was semi.Bphere with ftinnel.shaped
entrance in the top and llfting-door
III the side.
After waiting some half hour the mo-
ther rat made. her appearance, showing
evident anxiety about hcr lit.
ter. She hesitated some time before
approaching tie trap, but finally her
affection prevailed, and she boldly ven.
tured out within twenty feet, and
in full view Of the watchers. She ran
several times around tho prison that
contained her young, tried tho wires
with her teeth, and made many demon.
strations Of solicitude and dis
tress. At length, finding that
she could ffot get in to the young
ones, she determined 10 bring
them out to her. The manner In which
she accomplished this showed some
thing akin to that reason OF which man
is wont to boast that he is the only pos
SCISSOR.
Placing herself close against the
wires she made a peculiar noise-a kind
OF gentle squeak-which Immediately
attracted the attention OF her young
aud they came to the familiar call.
First ono little fellow put his nose be
tween the wires, and being d little en-.
couraged and helped by the mother
who pressed her own nose between the
same wires, thus spreading them lit.
tie wider apart, he squeezed his head
through. In IN instant she caught him
by tho back OF tue neck, and in spite ol
his squealing and crying under the
painful process, she pulled him forcibly
through the wires and ran of with him
under pile OF lumber near by. Prob
ablya minute elapsed before she re-
appeared, having deposited her rescued
young one In safety. She was evidently
encouraged by her success, and en-
boldened by the fact that she had not
been molested, and proceeded to rescue
one after another Of her young, and il
the samo manner, until sho had taken
out eight.
The watchers then half.buried the
trap in tho loose dirt, and for while
the devoted mother was in great dis
tress about how to get out the last oi
her liter. But she soon found that
tho little fellow couldn't reach hel
through tho top, and she commenced
digging down TO him, throwing out the
dirt eagerly as il melted to extra oxer-
tions by the lamentations OF her young
one. She burrowed Just In front Of the
lifting.door, on reaching which she i'm
mediately entered, and to her surprise,
found herself prisoner. She had sac
rifced her own liberty to her mother
love, and, as tho event proved, her life
also, for she was killed, though her 10
bors and courage'in behalf of that feel
ing which is instinct in all, and which
is probably tho most sacred impulse oi
tho human heart, should have won
mercy from her captors, and secured
her from harm. -Coviagton (Ry.) Jour.
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