The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1885-02-14
AN UNFORTUNATE FAMILY.
How They All Perished While Trying to
Get Something Good to Eat.


How They All Perished While Trying to
Get Something Good to Eat.
Pinky, Winky and Kinky. Queer
names, were they not? Yet L suppose
that Pinl1y, Winky and Kinky were
quite as happy as if their names had
had been Tom, Dick and Harry. Per-
haps happier, for Toms, Dicks and
Harrys may be found in every town;
but, Pinkys, Winkys and Kinkys-
where?
They lived-Pinky, Winlly and Kinlly
in queer little home. A safe, warm,
snug little nest, hidden far away out of
sight in a dark corner of the old attic
A nest! The attic! What! Mice?
Pinky, Winky and Kinky were mice?
Yes. Nice, fat, sleek little mice were
they, indeed. And Tom, Dick and
Harry would have been funny names
for three little mice; would they not?
Pinky, Winky and Kinky suited them
much better; at least their parents
thought so, and, as for Pinky, Winky
and Kinky, what did they care for
names? What they wanted was good
time.
And how happy they were in their
dear little home. And how Papa and
Mamma Mouse had worked to make it
nice and soft and warm, with wee bits
OF cottonwood, stray feathers, shreds of
cloth, bits of string, tiny lunches of
hair, odds and ends, truly; yet they
ha1 ,NIIlloI II about ,Ni,,l-nI -,
pieces, and made it all up again so
cleverly that it was so dainty and com
Portable little nest as a mouse could
wish Here Pinky, Winky and Kinky ate
and slept and played. And how they
did play, to be sure! What runs they
had, what races they had up and down
| the rough, inner walls of the house
How they scrambled, how they scurried,
how they squeaked with Joy at the wild
| sport. And how much noise they made
But, alas! alasl sad fate was in
store for Pinky, Winky and Kinky.
And oh! how much sadder it seems
when one thinks that, perhaps, they
might have lived to ripe old age if only
they had done as they were hidden to
do. And it came upon them in this
way: One bright moonlight evening,
when Piuky, Winky and Kinky had
| played all the long day and had gone
! to bed, oh! so tired and sleepy, Papa
abroad this fine evening; there's
grand spread below, I'm told. There'll
be rare pickings, | expect. So I'll 60
down and have a peep at it myself and
may be I'll bring up something nice for
a relish for you, mamma.
Yes; 90 by all means. 1t will do
you good after being in all day, and the
children so noisy. But never mind me.
There's plenty of corn in the house.
Try to get something nice for yourself,
my dear"
80 Papa Mouse ran off gayIy, while
she-the poor anxious mamma-made
sure that her little ones were asleep, and
then curled herself up and went to sleep
likewise.
What had happened? What was the
matter? Why was mamma poking
them 50 roughly? Why was she wax
ing them? Listen! What was she say
ing? Oh, dear! And Pinky, Winky
and Kinky rubbed their sleepy little
eyes and tried hard to make them stay
open.
"Listen to me, children. 1t is the
middle of the night and your papa is
not yet home. Now, I'm going out to
find him; but shan't be gone long,
and | don't want one of you to stir from
the house till | get back, I'll give you
nice breakfast; but if you want any
thing to eat before then you Il find plen-
| ty of corn
They promised to obey her. A nice
breakfast. Think of it! What would
she bring them? Crumbs? Cheese?
What? And while they wondered and
| puzzled, 10! they fell fast asleep.
"Hillo! Wake up! Wake up!'
''Stop biting me so hard, Kinky!'
80! Kinky! Don'tr
"WaI<e up, wake up, Pinky! Wake
up, l say, Winky! Here it is broad
daylight, and nobody home and moth
ing to eat.
"Why, where is mammal"
''Where is papa?"
Pinlly and Winlly started up instant
| ly, and looked around in Il bewildered
way. "How funDym they said.
"Where can they be? Mamma said
she d bring us breakfast. What shall
we do? Who're can she beT'
High time for breakfast, l SHOULD
think sad Kinky ")m starying'
$50 am !, agreed Pinky.
Perhaps they're hiding" suggested
Winky.
SO the three ran in and out of every
hole and corner, every secret hiding
place. and peered into all the old and
dusty and cGbwebby trunks and boxes
that were slowed away in the large at
tic chambe'; but nowhere could they
find papa o. mamma. Then they crept
back to bed again, scarce knowing
what they did; for this was a terrible
experience. No papa, no mamma.
What was going to become Of them?
They looked sadly at each other; they
felt ready to cry, in their despair. Sud
denly Kinky started up. Il know
where they areT' he exclaimed. Il
WASH asleep. just pretended was
/ heard papa last night That's just
where they arel"