The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1884-05-21

he Will eat OH the Dark all around young
apple.tree, and kill it. That is the rea
son why people dislike us. We don't do
any harm, but the black mouse and the
house mouse are 80 wicked that we have
to suffer for their faults. But here comes
one of my cousins from the house. I'll
introduce you to him."
After the introduction was over the
house mouse said:
"Perhaps you would like to walk down
to the barn and see how we live there :?
We have rare sport, assure you"
81 should like to do 30 very much"
replied Mr.. Thompson. al have been
greately interested in your cousins
house."
Pooh " said the house mouse. " That
is nothing. live in the thunderstorm
next to the granery. There are several
families of us there, and | assure you we
have some queer dwelling-places. My
nest is in an old boot. have friend
who lives in a tea.kettle, and an
other has splendid place in an old cush-
fon."
They trotted along as they talked, and
soon reached the granery. Here Mr..
Thompson saw the nests, and was much
interested in one enterprising individual
who had taken possession of an old jug
which was lying on its side. He had
filled it with paper and corn silk, and
boosted that he had the warmest house
in the lumber-room.
81 was little afraid of it at first,
though" ne said, "for 1 had a brother
who crawled into one of those big hum
ming-tops, and couldn It get out. You
see, whenever he tried to get to the hole
it would roll over, and so he was unable
to escape. He had been in it all day,
when the nurse-girl came to find the top,
and as she came up the stairs he hap
pened to move, 80 that the top rolled
toward her. She was dreadful lily fright
ened, and ran to the house, screaming
that the top was bewitched. They then
came out and took the top away, and 1
have never seen him SINCE"
Mr.. Thompson remembered the circum.
stance, and how the mouse had been
shaken from the top into the clutches of
the cat, but he said nothing. After he
retraced his steps to the whcat-ield. His
friend the field-mouse was waiting for
him.
"What do you think of living in the
granery r." he inquired, as Mr.. Thomp.
son seated himself.
"Well," replied Mr.. Thompson, reflect.
lively, 81 should think it would be more
dangerous. The cat is around all the
time, and the folks set traps. and it is SO
much used by the men that 1 should
think it would not be very good place.
EYES," replied the feld.mouse; "but
then the cats come here, too, and the
weasels, and in the night the owls. Sc
you see we have pretty hard time of it
There was one nice man, though" hi
added refectively.
"Who was that ?" inquired Mr.
Thompson.
"That Scotch poet, Burns. Haven
you read his poem to mouse? But
here comes young lady. Now you viii
see some fun" And the mouse's little
black eyes twinkled with mischief, al
he rushed toward the bars.
Mr.. Thompson looked around; it wa
too late. The young lady was his beloved
Angelina. The mouse dashed at hel
furiously. She saw him coming ant
jumped frantically toward rock, utter
ing series of screams which would d.
credit to steam calliope.
The next thing Mr.. Thompson knew
he was at her side and she had tainted il
his arms. 1t was the workof some time t,
revive her; and as Mr.. Thompson gath
cred up her parasol and fan, which she
had dropped in her alarm, and assisted
her faltering steps homeward, he mad
solemn vow never again to be
mouse, since the inoffensive animal cal
ried such terror to the feminine heart
Harper's Young People,