New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1883-01-14
4 TOUGH sTORr or "A TOUGH MOOSE.

From Letter 10 The Rochester Union aud AdrsrfiSer
SUMO pump logs that convey water 10 my house
from a spring a bali mile dIDlsnt, part OF the DIS.
tauce through the woods. The late fall rains had
washed the logs bare IN places, and not daring "a
trust them through the winter took two men aDd
set TO worF cover tho exposed places, although
the around frozen TO the depth OF six inches as
the rain hal been followed by o cold snap. Near the
head OF the spring in the woods Was y place where
dirt had been dug out Of the bank and wall Of earth
three feet high. with IoOts and mOss cverbangln1
the edge had been left, forming perfect prote tioa
fro IN rain snow. In digging IN this bank un'
earthed q bail of leaves about the size OF quart
howl and az compact as dry leaves could b. made.
In examining the pace It appeared that an excaya'
ton had becn made about foot from the surface
Of the ground and inches from the iace of the
bank, and had been packed with Ueech leaves. POI
on in layers from the oatsl I,s, toward tn
IL up aud began to examine 1t closely. con ludiDg
of course, that It was mouse nest but as could
find no hole for ingress or rgiess Ia It's Smooth sur
face nv curiosity much excited. began u
take off lager after layer OF the leaves until can't
near the centre, whure l found bunch nj iui
about the size and shape OF d hens egg, which
upou close scrutiny. proved to be a mouse, appar
entity dead aud frozen still made Jocuiar 70
mark about the poor fellows taxing SO much paih
10 make himself good comfortable place TO freeA
10 death in and laid the nest on log until dinner
tune, intending TO take 10 10 the house. On my
wav to the house found mousio mad begun u
Timber 40 little, aud succeeded by careful manip
ularion in Strengthening out his legs aDd tall.
that he looked good deal more like a mouse thas
the little Mad OF tDaL L plckcu OUT Ot tus
leaves On reaching the house gave ihe nou-e u
my iii tie girl, who was elated. ana began to fOndlt
aud pity the animal for ha yng TO stay out IN lac
cold until 1t was frozen to death So she ratified on
until we were nearly through dinner when sud
denly she sprang up exclailnIns: @Uh. papa lite
alive. 1t breatnes, and IL has openod itH eyrr.
Sure enough, mouse breathing sic WHY. ana
blinking like veritsble Rip Van Wiukle. after his
famous nap. placed it O1 the floor, and bv the
time we were through dinner it was hopping
around as lively as q cricket, although II acted
little groggy at first. But soon all drowsiness had
gone and YOU would have thought by Its Drighs
eyes and agile inotivus that 1t had always been
awake and jumping. made y nice little cage Tor
It, and fed it plenty of beechnuts, and IL was
great pet, but could not resist the temptation 20
experiment. with IL. SO every few nights w0uid
put 1t out Oh DOORS and in the morning II wouid 70
Ms hard US butteiuut, but upon thawinY QUIZ
Would be AZ active as ever. One night iet tho
mon "A ont the Thermometer marked 3OS below zero
IN tns morning. and yet little mousse came 70 AL
riqht fr, 70 MIN eight or ten times In the course
OF the winter. and he came around etch time and
kent fat and sleek, but along toward spring he ose
His AT petite grew poor and finally died an appsr-
eutly natural death. The mouse was Of the jump
ing. or doer-mouse species. His body was three
and y half inches and his tail three and three.
quarters inches long. OF reddis. color Oh back and
Sides and neaIly white underneath. lie could easi-
ly clear four five feet at leap. and never
walked but always wont with hop and skip.
Many insects freeze up in tho winter aud thsw or3
il the spring. aud go on thsSr way rejoicing. eus
was not aware bcfsys that any animal q sho size
u mouse did IL out that seams = - the Isoss