National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1873-10-15
ROMANCE OF A RAT.

A Redent's Maternal Love.
The Coyington Journd. relates this touch
log tale;
Mr.. Benjamin Taylor, OF, Tay lor, Dunawsy
& Brothers, lumber merchants, on Eighth
street, relates an incident Of which he was an
eye witness at his lumber yard, that strongly
illustrates that universal feeling, molhor.love
which so pervadcs all animal life.
In removing the last boards Of q stack Of
planks, rats nest with nine young ones was
found underneath. The little rodents were
about the size Of mice, and wero able to crawl
about at q lively rate. An old-fashioncd wire
trap was procured, the young rats put into II,
Q weight put on the top, and II was left on the
nest and watched. Tho trap was q semi
sphere, with Handicapped entrance In the
top and lifting door In the side.
After waiting some half hour the mother
rat made her appearance, showing evident
anxiety about her litter. She hesitated some
time before approaching the trap, but finally
her affection prevailed, and she boldly ven
tured out, within twenty feet and in full view
Of tho watchers. She ran several times
around the prison that contained her young,
tried tho wires with her teeth, aud made
many demonstrations OF solicitude aud dis
tress. Al length finding that she could not
get In TO the young ones, she determined TO
bring them out to her. The manner In which
she accomplished this showed something akin
to that reason OF which man Is wont to boast
that he Is the only posscssor. Placing herself
close against the wires, she made q peculiar
noise-a kind Of gentle squeak-which imme-
dlatoly attracted the attention Of her young,
and they came TO the familiar call. First one
little fellow put his nose between the wires,
and being q little encouraged and helped BY
the mother, who pressed her own nose be-
tween the same wires, thus spreading them .
little wider apart he squeezed his head
through. In an instant she caught him by
the back OF ths neck, and In spite OF his
squalllng aud crying under the painful pro-
cess, she pulled him forcibly through the
wires and ran off with him under pile OF
lumber near by. Probably minute elapsed
before she rcappcared, having deposited her
rescued young one In safety. She was evil
IDENTIFY 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, In the same manner,
until che had takon out eight.
The watchers then half buried the trap In
the loose dirt, and for while tho devoted
mother was In great distress about how TO get
out the lest OF her litter. But she soon found
that the little fellow couldn'tr reach her through
the top, and she commenced digging down 70
him, throwing out tho dirt eagerly as II inclt-
ed TO extra exertions by the lamentations OF
her young, one: She burrowed just In front
of the lifting door, on reaching which, she
Immediately entered, and TO her surprise found
herself q prisoner. She had sacrificed her own
liberty TO her mother-love, and, as the event
proved, her life also, for she was killed, though
her labors and courage In behalf OF that feel
lug, which 10 instinct In all, and which Is
probably the most sacred impulse Of the hu-
man heart, should have won mercy from her
esptors, and secured her from harm.