American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1874-05-09
Anecdotes of Rats.

|
/ wonder at it.-N. Y. G4aph5c.
3 Anecdotes of Rats.
: Perhaps at no time is the sagacity O
: rats exhibited in so remarkable Il degree a
| when an attempt is made to poison them
A somewhat singular incident which
shows the possession of something yer.
nearly akin to reason on the part OF thes
pests, happened in Wayne County, New
York, some years ago. A certain diStil
lery was almost overrun with rats, which
were attracted thither by the malt upoI
which they Jared sumptuously. All et
+ forts to get rid of them were unavailing
Traps of every sort were set and baitec
with the most tempting morsels, but tn,
rats gave them a wide berth. All the boy:
and dogs in the neighborhood paid peri
odical visits to the distillery to engage il
grand hunts, but the rats increased anC
multiplied and grew familiar in spite OF
them. At last the proprietor, in despera
ton, determined upon grand comp d etdt
He poisoned the malt that was one day
thrown out of the distillcry. The con
sequence was that some OF the outbuIld
ings had to be removed in order to clear
| away the bodies of the victims. For
| Il while after that there was less noise
| about the distillery of nights, and the
boys were Obliged to give up their Satur-
| day afternoon rat hunts; but in six
| months matters were as bad ever.
| Boys, guns, traps and terriers, as before,
| had no effect. Another general poison
| ing was resolved upon, but this time the
result was far different. There was not a
single victim that could be found, and,
more than that, at the end of two days
there was not rat about the distillery.
And now comes the strange part OF the
story. The proprietor was present when
the poisoned malt was thrown out, and
prompted by curiosity waited to see what
was going to happen During that time
but one solitary rat made his appearance
an old fellow, gray with age, which
came creeping from his hole, and with an
air of dstrust and cunning went to the
malt, and after smelling of it scampered
away in great haste. Was he one of the
few who survived the general slaughter,
and did he discover the danger and warn
the others?
The rats in our country are quite as
fond of cream as their transatlantic
cousins, and exhibit the same ingenuity
in securing it. If the Scottish rats were
smart enough to skim pans of milk with
their tails, so were those who tiOurished
in Livingston County few years ago;
only they did not contine themselves to
cream but tished butter out of deep Jars
in the same way. The rats no doubt ap-
preciated the last named article, and well
they might, for better butter maker than
Mrs. Sackett never lived, not even in
Livingston County.
The neat old lady fretted and scolded
and set traps and tried various devices TO
protect her milk pans, but all to no pur-
pose. One morning a waggish young fell
low, Charley Hosmer (peace to his ashes
he went out with the gallant Seventh, and
never returned), happened in, and after
listening to the story of the lady's grlev
ance offered, in consideration of the
plate of doughnuts which she was then
frying, to rid her of the rats at once and
forever. The doughnuts were placed be-
fore him, and Charley ate them with a
roguish twinkle in his eye. The lady |
watched him with evident satisfaction, it |
never occurring to her, good soul, to in |
quire how she would get the doughnuts |
back again in case the boys plan failed. |
When the last one was gone Charley dis
appeared through the cellar door. De
scending the stairs about halfway, he |
seated himself upon them, reflected few
and then delivered himself after
this fashion:
"Now, rats" said he, Il think it's
shame the way you're acting" Here
Charley paused a moment, for one of the
rats which had fled at his approach
thrust his head from his hole, and looked
at him meditatively). "I'll talk to you,
old fellow, and l want you to tell the
others what Pm saying" he went on.
&c 1t is shame the way you're doing
Here you have been getting your living
off Mrs. Sackett all these years, and l
want it stopped. She's a Woodworking
and needs the cream and butter
you steal. Now, there's Neighbor Mark
ham. He is rich, his corn cribs are full;
there are more milk-pans in his spring
house than there are here, and if you want
good living you had better go there. You
oiU go there, if you know what's good
For you. When l come back | don't
want to hear of a rat on this farm"
Charley arose to his feet, and the old
rat whisked back into his hole. The boy
went up stairs, took another doughnut,
and walked off after assuring the lady
hat she would never more be troubled
With rats. -13sd she aonsnt. Perhaps
Charley was quite as much surprised at
he effects of his speech rs the lady; but
t is fact that in d week from that time
here was not rat about the house, and
Neighbor Markham had more than he
wanted. There at least two persons still
n existence who know this to be true
Y. Weekly.