Burlington weekly free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1866-1928, 1875-10-22
4 Nouse-Catehing BabJ .

A letter from Erie, Penn, to the Cincin-
natl Enquirer contains the following curious
story:
A singular phenomenon is just now Great
ing a sensation few miles south of this city,
in the shape of q m0use-catching infant, sur
passing in expertness the agility of the best
canine or feline mouser in the country. The
report of this singular freak of nature reach
ed me SO well authenticated that conclud-
ed to crafty my curiosity. The little girl
in question is 4 tride over year old, and
can just begin to run about the house and
yard. The moment she wakes and gets out
Of her crib she goes to the old kitchen ire
place, which is infested 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 occupies this position for an hour
without moving, till mouse makes its ap-
pearance. when, by sudden start, appar-
emily without any effort, she seizes her VIC
tim by the neck. As soon as her prize is Sc
cured she seems to bs electrified with joy,
and trembles from head to foot. uttering
kind of Q wild murmur or growl, resembling
the half-suppressed snsrl Of wild cat. On
arriving at the house and making known
the object Of my visit, the mother expressed
the Willingness to give me an exhibition of
the strange peculiarity of the baby. provid-
ing would promise not to make their names
public, a. she seemed to dread the nOtoriety
already given to the affair. The babe was
asleep when arrived and swaking she
started at once on her strange mission She
is q beautiful little blonde, Of delicate features
and bright, blue eyes, and her hair lies all
over her head in golden curls. There is
nothing unusual about the countenance Of
the child, or differen: from that of any pret-
ty-featured baby, except while stalking her
game. Then her eyes become glistening and
fxed, 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 centred on
the burrow whence she expects her game to
sally forth. The mother. an older sister Of
the child and myself sat in semicircle
around her. During that half hour We
neither moved nor spoke above whisper,
when suddenly, like the sprinxing of trap,
the little things hand -ent down ON the
hearth, followed BY the fine squeak Of the
mouse, and that strange, low growl and
singular tremor Of the body Of the child. As
usual. she hold the mouse by the neck in
her right hand, while it squirmed desper-
ately 70 get away. She then pressed it up
against her boson and felt Of is gently and
softly with her other hand; then would
dexterously change hands, carefully keeping
her grip On the assk 70 avoid its bite. thoogni
her mother told mo she had been frequently
bitten, and while sensitive to- pain, aud cry
ing at the least ordiaary hurt, she never was
seen to vince or show the least pain from the
bite Of uouss.- examined her 6ngen,
and found them scared in many places where
she had been bitten. tried " realize how
the feat hsd besn accomplished. bat il was
doi.s 80 Suddenly there was nj time " ana
iyss it. YstI was sssursd BY the family,
whs. bad takes frequent OlservAtion, that
shs mouss whsn ones out of is hols seems
70 bscsns charmed o. magnetized, and has
no power. " ss least shows no dispositioo
70 escape ill caught. uheo L Is y hts. u
esy sns apprAshss The child to take tho
nosss sssy frou her, she gill utter shlill
ssrsan. aad shes ~ to eooesal hss pfias by
batting is ineo hoe nosth. Ia