American citizen. [volume] (Canton, Miss.) 1864-1890, 1875-04-24
THE RATS PARTY.

One night as Frisk was scampering
around he made a discovery.
Nibble," cried he, :" come here. Smell
at this crack. What do you say to
that?"
Bacon" said Nibble, "and cheese
Oh, how hungry it makes mel'
Every we'll, them" said Frisk, "gnaw
| through. The quicker the better"
| So first one gnawed and then the 9th
err, till they had made the crack SO large
that they could see through plainly. On
| the other side was a pantry, end on the
shelf in full view splendid ham.
at will last year." said Nibble;
"and there's a cheese; and what's that
hanging on a nail?"
"a saltfish, to be sure" said Frisk
| "and there are eggs for those that like
them. If we had only found this out a
month ago! Here we have been half
starved when just on the other side of
a wall"
At this moment voice was heard on
the other side singing a morning song, as
Betty came to get the eggs for the
breakfast.
"Hushr" said Nibblc. ave must
keep quiet till night"
Then they went to tell their friends of
their good fortune.
"Ahar' said a wise old rat. "Beware!
was near being caught there once, they
stopped up the hole in such hurry"
1--WE will look out for that" said the
young friends
When night came they began to work
again, and were not long in making their
way through.
Then came the reward.
delicious !" said Nibble, as he tasted
| the ham.
"Oh, this cheese!" said his friend
Frisk.
And look at that chickenr'
"And see these cakes!"
pile of them!"
"PI tell YOU what we'll do. Wen have
| a party" said Nibble.
$50 we will" said Frisk, "and invite
yoang Silk-Ear."
And Papa and Mamma Silk-Ear, of
course" said Nibble.
80 YES of course" said Frisk. We
| could not leave them at home alone
"And that little duck of Pink-N ose,"
said Nibble.
"Then you'll have to invite Pa Pink
Nose" said Frisk, land he is such a
scampi Don't you remember how he
stole that raisin from Widow Sharp
Tooth?"
"Wen, no matter" said Nibble.
There is food enough for ALL this
| time"
| w =
these squash-seeds now?" said Frisk.
eve shall not need them at the party,
and they will be good when all the other
things are gone"
| So they carried away the squash-seeds,
| a mouthful at time, and put them in a
warm place by the chimney, where they
would dry. And now it was near morn
ing, SO they made haste with their work.
The pantry was in perfect order moth
ing to do there But on their side of the
wall there was rubbish to remove and,
| first, the hole must be made larger.
"Not too large" said Frisk, Fl" or they'll
see it from the inside"
| "You go and invite the company"
said Nibble, "and I'll work here"
So Frisk went to give the invitations.
The Graybacks were invited, and the
Longtails, and the Sharptooth family,
and the Silvergrays, and the Silk Ears.
"Where is the party?" asked Mamma
Silk-Ear.
Right through the wall, in the PAN
try," replied Frisk. ave gnawed a hole
through, and there's cheese, and ham,
and some cakes, and everything"
| SIS it safeg" asked Papa Silk Ear.
Perfectly" said Frisk. "Nibble and
1 took lunch there last night, and here
1 am, yod see"
"Blt where's Nibble,- inquired Papa
Silk-Ear.
ooh, he's putting things to rights on
this side of the wall, replied Frisk.
"Oh, please say yes" said the lovely
young Silk Ear. SO the papa said yes,
and they accepted the invitation so
did Pa Pink-Nose and his little duck of a
daughter.
"Cheese," YOU said," remarked Pa
Pink Nose.
"Yes," replied Frisk,
"And ham, you said," continued Pa
Pink-Nose."
EYES," said Frisk.
"And what o'clock?" asked Pa Pink
Nose.
GAS soon as the house is quiet" said
Frisk
"Let me give you II piece of advice,
said Pa Pink Nose. Don't invite any
| rats from other houses. There viii DC
too many of them, and besides, the cats
may hear of it. I've been over these
houses. There are pantries i'll them all
Let the other rats gnaw through into
their own pantries."
Every well. i will tell Nibble about
it." said Frisk. You'll come
"Oh, yes" said Pa Pink Nose; =" and
more than that" said he to himself, " III
go aotn and look at that ham,"
Then he went softly down through
the wall till he came to the pantry;
Nibble had finished his work an"
was just going away; so "a link,Nose
waited till he was out of sight, and then
cautiously approached the opening and
looked through.
"A ham, indeedm he exclaimed, in &
transport of delight. Now Pa Pink
Nose was very hungry, and, besides. ht
was "a scamp: SO he did not hesitate 8
moment, but walked right in and begar
, to help himself to everything. 1t was nov
morning, but he was too hungry TO thint
of that Unfortunately, while he was st
busy, Betty came in upon him suddenly
so that he had only time to hide behin'
Jug. She saw the hole in the wall, an'
l quickly laid brick against 1t, SO us IL
) close it entirely. -,
81 must tell Pathrick, or the rats WI
be in me PANTRY" said Betty, as sh'
went away.