Wessington Springs herald. (Wessington Springs, Aurora County, Dakota [S.D.]) 1883-1891, 1885-10-02

Let us strive aside to lay
something that may shelter give US,
When Shall come tho rainy day,
Golden Days.
A WISE LITTLE MOUSE.
In Spite of His Brag and Cunning, He
Wa Caught at Last.
He was a very curious little mouse,
indeed, and had his home in the wall of
a farmers kitchen.
Now l can't begin to tell you all the
mischief this little mouse did. He had
gAawed holes through the doors of the
cupboard, and poked his nose time and
again into the ream bowl, and eaten
great pieces out of the new cheese, and
knocked over a beautiful glass preserve
dish and shivercd it to atoms; but,
worst of all, he had nibbled great holes
in two Of Mother Sprague's fine linen
ta5le-cloths. Oh, he was, indeed, q
naughty, naughty little mouse, and he
quite gloried in the mischief he did.
They had set traps time and again for
him, but without avail, for he was a
most cunning little mouse, and some
how kept clear of them all. Even the
delicious smell Of cheese had failed to
entice him within those queer-looking
little wires. He knew we'll enough that
danger and death were there.
Miss Puss, LOO, with all her cunning,
was unable to catch the frisky little
mouse. She had tried Ting and again,
by strategy as we'll as open warfare,
but each alike had failed. just when
she thought she had her sharp claws
upon him, away would scamper the lit
tic mouse, stopping just long enough
to glance detantly back at Miss Puss,
with a look in his sharp beady little
black eyes which seemed to say: .There!
I've cheated you this time, old mouser!
you ses you are mo half as sharp as you
thought you WERE"
In short, they had set so many traps
and formed so many plans, the farmer,
his wife and the servant-girl, by which
to catch the little mouse, and had never
yet succeeded, that he was in high glee
over their repeated failures, and so well
pleased With himself in consequence,
that he had grown to be Il very con
ce.ted little mouse, as we'll as y mos,
cunning one.
Very often he would talk to himself
after this amer: ''They will mere,
catch me, this is certain. l am too
wise Il little mouse not to see through
all their movements. They might al
well save themselves the trouble of set
ting those traps, for all the good it'll
do EN-. l wonder if they really thinl
ci11r -n,,n,,,rl To ,,oI-, ~ 49,
one of those holes just to got a nibble
at that scrap OF cheese, and be choked
TO death for my pains, when can gnaw
my way into the cupboard and eat as
much OF that whole line cheese as ]
want, without any danger to myself.
No, indeed. 1t is all too plain that ]
an too cunning for them, too wise q
little mouse by tar, yer to be caught III
u trap"
However, something happened one
day that proved the little mouse was
not nearly so wise Us he thought he
was.
Some fresh oysters were brought into
the kitchen. In preparing them tol
supper the girl happened to overlook
one OF them, aud it was left lying in a
corner of the hearth with its smell partly
open.
That night, when every one had
gone to beu, and all was silent within
mo kitchen, this cautious little mouse
thought he might venture forth on q
raid. Very Don he came to where the
oyster was lying SO still upon the
hearth.
"Ha!" said he, cautiously approach.
ing it, and bending his sharp little eyes
neal it, so as to take a good look at it,
"what is this, now? Another trap,
perhaps: but no; it doesn't look at al
like one. There is nothing suspicious.
looking about it, it is true; but still il
is best to be cautious, therefore III
take u closer view OF it."
So the little mouse bent down hi
head till his little twlnkling eyes were
close beside the oyster, and then Ii,
peered in through the half-open shell
The oyster lay vcrv quiet within, ant
looked so nice and cool and fresh tina
it quite set the little house frantic will
the desire to feast upon the new dainty.
"Oh, dear metz said he, licking Lii
whiskcrs, chow nice it smells! and
am sure it must taste even better thar
it looks. What q feast l am going Il
have, to be sure! and such a laugh tt
myself over the sour looks OF thu
~servant-girl in the morning. who was
no doubt, saving this delicious morse
for herself!"
80 saying, this wise little mouse, wht
had never yet been caught in a trap
and who Dragged to himself continual,
in consequences, poked his sharp littl
nose through the half-opcned shell o
the oyster.
Now jf,l had been there, l would hav,
whispered: ''Be very careful, little MIR
Mouse, for, with all your cunning ane
Boosting, you may get yourself into
fix yet"
And it was just as YOU have doubles:
susrected-Me oyster Wus alice! and nj
ssaa.s Lsd 4Ls l;44ls ,a..-..~Ll l.