Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1878-06-07
The Story of JeIty.

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kerS! Jetty was very proud of these
whiskers, and often wondered how cats,
who had such handsome ones, could be
such disagreeable animals to meet.
Now, Jetty lived in q queer old place,
anu what do you think it was? 1t was a
great, dark, dreary old mill where plenty
of wheat and corn was kept, but where
few people ever came. But Jetty didn't
care for that Not he. He lived with
his brother Gustave and his sister
Minette, who were both French rats,
having come long before, with ever so
many other emigrants, from France to
this country. Gustave and Minette
were great deal older than Jetty; for
he, funny little fellow that he was, had
been born in the old mill where after
ward their father and mother had both
been killed in a great, cruel trap by
giants who called themselves men.
A good many months had passed since
then, and Gustave, who being French
was also something of a dainty, was
obliged to climb on the book keepers
desk at night and thrust his long whis-
kers way down into the book keepers
ink bottle to keep them from growing
80 terribly gray.
And cunning little Miss Minette, when
she found she could no longer see clear
ly without spectacles, gave over trying
to read the labels on the bags of grain
that were stored away in the mill, and so
pretended to like wheat quite as well as
corn, which everybody knew was not 60.
But Jettyl Nothing was the matter
fyto hi
cleaning little eyes. Jetty could read
very we'll, and could even speak little
French that Gustave had taught him, to
improve his American manners, you
know.
And what pretty little home they
had, to be sure You'll never guess
what it was, so I'll tell you. 1t was in
an empty old -four barrel that had been
forgotten and left in the garrett of the
mill; and, if you'll believe it, 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 neighbor had
presented; old scraps of wall-pa and
plastering, which every rat knows is de-
hcious after 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 it
Then they scampered all over the build
ing and brought back splendid loads of
wheat and corn, and sometimes bits of
tender wood, which aren't bad if only
you are accustomed to eating them.
But one night Gustave said to his
sister:
"My dear, we have promised to call
on Monsieur Cheesycake, just over from
Paris, visiting at the Gnawingtons';
you remember ?"
"Oh, to be sure 7" said Miss Minette.
Getty dear, will you be afraid to stay
alone for little time ?"
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 up and
brushed the dust from his 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 whale
should walk right in from the river and
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, he
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 " iohBs lOdn JOuhB i"o WIZ Wor
next him would persist in sitting on his
tail and hurting him; suddenly, I 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 Oats
Giants2 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 o.
water out of what seemed to be huge
snakes mouths.
Jetty turned to the stairs, knowing hi
had no time to lose and must escape al
soon as possible. But, alas it was toe
late. His dream of the party had beer
too fascinating or the smoke must hav,
stihed him, for he had slept 80 long tina
his last chance was gone. The stair
had fallen.
He thought longingly of Gustave ant
} his dear Minette. How sorry she woult
be never to have little Jetty to pet ant
. scold any more
Z Already the floor where he stood grew
: hot, and the very walls of the room wer,
Q in blaze. He ran to the window, when
just ct that instant, with ftishtfu