The Toledo chronicle. [volume] (Toledo, Tama County, Iowa) 1873-1924, 1875-04-08
THE RATS PARTY.

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THERE once lived in the wall OF
house two lively young rats, Nibble and
Frisk.
One night as Frisk was scamperlng
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 me"
"Very we'll, then," said Frisk, "gnaw
through. The quicker the better"
So first one gnawed and then the 9TH
er, till they had made the crack SO large
that they could see through plainly. On
the other side was pantry, and on the
shelf in full view splendid ham.
at will last year." said Nibble;
"and there's cheese; and what's that
hanging on nail?'
"a salt-fsh, to be sure" said Frisk;
"a and there are eggs for those that like
them. If we had only found this out
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 morning song, as
Betty came to get the eggs for the
breakfast.
"Hush" said Nibble. "We must
keep quiet till night"
Then they went to tell their friends of
their good fortune.
"Aham said a wise old rat. "Beware!
I was near being caught there once, they
stopped up the hole in such a hurry"
"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 chicken"
"And see these cakes!"
"And these squash-seeds. What
pile of them"
"rll tell you what we'll do. Wen have
party" said Nibble.
$50 we WILL" said Frisk, "and invite
young Silk Ear"
"And Papa and Mamma Silk-Ear, of
course said Nibble.
go yes. of course" said Frisk. We
could not leave them at home alone"
"And that little duck of Pink-Nose," !"
said Nibble.
"Then you'll have to invite Pa Pink
Nose" said Frisk, "and he is such a
scamp! Don't you remember how he
stole that raisin from Widow Sharp
Tooth?"
"Well, no matter" said Nibble.
"There is food enough for all, this
time"
"What do you think of carrying away
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,
mouthful at a 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, cor they'll
see it from the inside
"You go and invite the company, u
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.
Fright through the wall, in the pan
try" replied Frisk. "We gnawed hole
through, and there's cheese, and a ham
and some cakes, and everything"
els it safe ?" asked Papa Silk-Ear.
"Perfectly," said Frisk. "Nibble and
took lunch there last night, and here
l am, yoa see."
"But where's Nibble," inquired Papa
Silk-Ear.
"Oh, 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 eyes, y
and they accepted the invitation. Sc
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 piece of advice,
said Pa Pink-Nose. "Don't invite any
rats from other houses. There will be
too many of them, and, besides, the cats
may hear of it. I've been over these
houses. There are pantries in them all
Let the other rats gnaw through into
their own pantries."
Every we'll. will tell Nibble about
it." said Frisk. You'll come?"
"Oh, yes," said Pa Pink-Nose; "and
more than that" said he to himself, :" I'll
20 noo and look at that ham,"
Then he went softly down through
the wall till he came to the pantry.