The Centre reporter. [volume] (Centre Hall, Pa.) 1871-1940, 1878-06-20
The story of lefty.

The story Of JeTty.
Jettv was a rat: and such funny,
comicsl little black fellow, with restless,
bright ewes, and long tail-snd trhiS-
hers Jetty was very Proud of these
whlskers, and often wondered how eats,
who had such handsome ones, could be
such diSaEreeable animals 70 meet.
Now, Je,ty lived IN queer old place,
ana vharNd0 Won thinkit Was? 1t was
great, dark, dreary old mil, where plenty
of wheat and corn was kept. but where
few people ever came. But Jetty didn't
care for tha; Not he. He lived with
his brother Gustaye and his SISTER
Minette. who were both French rats,
having come long before, with ever SO
many other emigrantS, from France to
this country. Gustaye and Minette
were great deal older than Jetty; for
he, funny little fellow that he was, had
been born n the old mill where after
ward their iather AMI mother had both
been killed in 3 great, cruel trap by
giants who called Themselves men.
A good many months had passed since
then, and GuStave. who being French
vas also something Of a dandy, was
obliged to climb on the book keepers
desk at night and thrust his long whis-
kers way down mo the bOok-keeper's
ink bottle TO keep them from growing
50 terribly gray.
And cunning little Miss Minette, when
she found She could no longer see clear
" without spectacles, gave over trying
to read the labels on the bags of grain
that we're stored away IL the mill, and so
pretended TO ike wheat quite as well as
corn. which everybody knew WIS not 80.
Bat Jetty Nothing was the matter
with Jetty's black whiskers and Jetty's
cleaning little eyes. Jetty could read
very well, and could even speak little
French that Gustave had taught him, 10
improve his American manners, You
know.
And what & pretty little home they
had, 10 be sure, You'll never guess
what it was. SO I'll tell you. 1t was in
an empty old fiour barrel that had been
forgotten and left in the garret Of the
mill; and, il you'll believe il, this barrel
was really turned into quite palace by
Gustave's French taste and Minette's
ready-ahem paws. Bits Of cheese,
which some thoughtful ueighb0r had
presented; old scraps of wallpaper and
plastering, which every nat knows is de-
hcious after q hearty dinner; nuts, and
even pieces OF cake, were slowed away
IN one corner. Oh, It was q charming
little house, and Minette, Gustave and
Jetty were as happy as happy could be
there.
In the evening, when the mill was all
quiet and dark, do you suppose
they were afraid Not a bit of il
Then they scampered all over the build
ing and brought back splendid loads OF
wheat and corn, and sometimes bits of
tender wool, which aren't bad if only
you are accustomed to eating them.
But one night Gustaye said to his
sister:
MY dear, we have promised to call
on Monsieur Cheesycake, Just over from
Paris, visiting at the Gnawingtons';
you remember 2"
"Oh, to be sure said Miss Minette.
"Jetty deag, will you be afraid TO stay
alone for a little time p
Afraid Oh, then how Jetty laughed
Laughed till he tripped over his long
tail and fell half the way down stairs;
laughed when he picked himself mp and
brushed the dust from bis sleek little
back; laughed until his sister pulled
his ears and told him that people would
know Just TO look at him he was an
American rat with no French polish
about him
But when they had really gone and
the dark old mill was very quiet, Jetty
began to wonder what made his heart
beat so loud, and why he kept thinking
of all the dreadful cats he had seen the
last time he went out; and he wished
his sister Minette had never told him OF
all the awful whales she saw on the voy-
age across the ocean. What If a whale
should walk right in from the river aud
eat him up while they were gomez Hor-
rible
But Jetty was a brave little fellow,
and, shutting his bright eyes so tight
that am sure | don't see how he ever
expected to get them open again, be
went fast asleep in the old -four barrel.
He went to sleep, and dreamed of going
to lovely party where there were-oh,
cheeses upon cheeses, and no end OF
cakes and crackers. and even sugar
kisses, too! And, suddenly, just as he
was wondering if fat old rat, who sat
In the corner, would eat forever, and
why long, lean young rat who was
next him would persist in sitting on his
tail and hurting him; suddenly, l say,
he was awakened by horrible noise
and bright, bright light. He started
from the -four barrel, bewildered and
only half awake. What was it Cats ?
Giantsl What? And that terrible
light? Had the sun fallen out of the
sky right into the old mill
Jetty rubbed his eyes with his paws,
and then with the end of his tail, and
then he saw what it really was. The
mill-the great, sturdy old mill. that he
had thought would stand forever-was
on fire The flames were crawling and
licking the walls and the beams, the
roof was falling in. Outside, men were
rushing frantically from door to door,
shouting and throwing great rivers Of
water out OF what seemed to be huge
snakes mouths
Jetty turned to the stairs, knowing he
had no time TO lose and must escape as
soon as possible. But, alas it was too
late. His dream of the party had been
too fascinating or the smoke must have
stihed him, for he had slept so long that
bis last chance was gone. The stairs
had fallen.
He thought longingly of Gustave and
his dear Minette. How sorry she would
be never to have little Jetty to pet and
scold any more
Already the floor where he stood grew
hot, and the very walls of the room were
in blaze He ran to the window, when,
Just at that instant, with frightful
crash, the whole side of the building fell,