Dodgeville chronicle. [volume] (Dodgeville, Wis.) 1862-current, 1875-10-15
A Mouse-Catching ,aby.

A singular phenomenon is Just now
creating sensation few miles south of
this city in the shape of mouse-catching
infant, surprising in expertness the agil-
lty OF the best canine or feline mouser in
the country. The report of this singular
freak of nature reached me so well au-
thenticated that concluded to crafty my
curiosity and possibly be sold, as | had
often been. But, to my surprise, the facts
turned out more remarkable than the re-
port represented, and the most astonishing
natural wonder l ever witnessed. The
little girl in question is tritle over year
old, and can but just begin to run about
the house and yard. The moment she
wakes and gets out of her crib she goes to
with species of small house-mice, and
sits down by hole in the corner, very
much like cat, with her eyes intently
fixed on the burrow She sometimes oc-
cupies this position for an hour without
moving, till mouse makes its appear
ance, when by sudden start, apparently
without any effort she seiZes her victim
by the neck. AS soon as her prize is cap
tured she seems to be electrified with Joy,
and trembles from head to foot, uttering
kind of wild murmur or growl resembling
the half-snarl of wildcat On arriving
at the house and making known the OBJ
!iect Of my visit the mother expressed a
willingness to give me an exhibition of
the strange popularity of the baby pro-
viding / would promise not to make their
names public, as she seemed Il dread the
notoriety already given to the affair. |
of course made the required promise, and
had the privilege of witnessing with my
own eyes performance SO wonderful and
novel that can never forget the impress
sim it made. The babe was asleep when
| arrived, and on awaking she started at
once on her strange mission. She is a
beautiful little blond, Of delicate features
and bright, blue eyes, and her hair lies
all over her head in exquisitely formed
golden curls, about the circle of
dime. There is nothing unusual about
the countenance of the child, or differ
eDt from that of any pretty featured baby,
except when stalking her game. Then
her eyes become glistening and fixed,
sparkling like gems, and her face and
hands turn pale as wax, while she appears
to hear or notice nothing going on around
her, but keeps her eyes steadily centered
on the burrow whence she expects her
game to sally forth. The mother, an older
sister of the child and myselfsat in a semi
circle around her. silent as if in spiritu-
al sen1ace waiting for the signal of departed
spirits. Had no mouse made its appear
ance the sight was one never to be forgot
ten-the death-pale face of that motionless
child, and the riveted, sparkling eyes con-
centrated for thirty minutes on that mouse-
hole in the brick hearth. During that half
hour we neither moved nor spoke above
whisper, when suddenly, like the spring
ing of trap, the little things hand went
down on the hearth, followed by the fine
squeak of the mouse and that strange, low
growl, and the singular tremOr of the
body of the child! AS usual, she held the
mouse by the neck in her right hand,
while it squirmed desperately to get away.
She then pressed it up against her bosom,
and felt of it gently and softly with her
other hand; then she would dexterously
change hands, carefully keeping her grip
on the neck to avoid its bite, though her
mother told me she had been frequently
Bitten and while sensitive to pain and cry
ing at the least ordinary hurt she never was
seen to vince or show the least pain from
the bite of a mouse. | examined her fin
gers and found them SCARED in many
places where she had been bitten. tried
to realize how the feat had been accom-
plished, but it was done so suddenly there
was no time to analyze it. Yet was as
sured by the family, who had taken fire.
quent observation, that the mouse when
once out of its hole seems to become
charmed or magnetized and has no power,
or at least shows no disposition to escape
till caught, when it is too late. If anyone
approaches the child to take the mouse
away from her she will utter a shrill
scream and then try to conceal her prize
by putting it into her mouth.
[ have heard of snake and bird charm
ing children, but I guess this is the first
mouse catching baby yet developed. l
wonder how Darwin would explain this
abnormal instinct by the laws of evolution
and natural selection.-ErSe (Pa.) Cor.
Cincinnati Enquirer.