The Bad Lands cow boy. [volume] (Little Missouri, Dakota [i.e. N.D.]) 1884-1886, 1886-07-15

mothers hut with the Koran in his
hand, looking wistfully at the long
lines ~ Of well-ordered letters grouped
into; into each page, just like the soldiers
who wi, sometimes exercised on the sands
outside tisslpt the town. His mother and the
other children were asleep, and hi, was
in in sole possession of the little outer
room lie had been meditating sadly
on the The apparent impossibility Of OBJ
tanning lllE an education, and had fallen
into 70 a kind of doze, when his attention
w was aroused by the proceedings Of two
mice which were perambulating the
t tlo'1 inspecting every square inch in
search of some minute particle of
edible matter, no very easy thing to dis
cover in that poyerty-stricken abode.
There was a kind Of impudence about
these mice, which he had never obsery-
ed in others of their species, and which
fascinated him in spite OF. the mourn
ful thoughts which held possession Of
his mind. They marched round
him (for he remained motionless)
and shifted at the hem Of his
dirty garment, as though DESTROYS Of
making his acquaintance. Ithappened
that close by his side lay a small brass
basin, commonly used for some domes-
ticpurpose. Watching his opportunity,
he overturned this basin SO quickly and
cleverly, that one Of the mice was
caught beneath it, imprisoned in the
brazen trap. The other fled, but soon
returned and commenced making Wig
roussassaults upon the strange dome
which had descended so rapidly on its
comrade. Finding this in vain, it re-
treated to its hole 3s ~ J.
It came forth again after an absence
of a few moments, holding something
in its mouth, the something was heavy
for the mouse appeared to; support it
with difficulty; it was ronnd, too, and
zglittered slightly when the moonbeams
fell upon it. Up to the side of the basin,
remote from Salih, advanced the mouse
with its burden, which it deposited on
the floor; and then retreated short
distance. Hating o yard or two off, it
sat up and looked intently at the boy.
Z Saith reached out his hand and pick
ed5up the object which the mouse had
brought. It was-yes there could be
no doubt, it was-a piece of gold, an
ancient coin, a dinar of the old Sultans
of Egypt who had reigned before the
Turks weresheard Of. The mouse in
tended it as ransom for its imprison-
edfriend. (.
There is q belief very prevalent
among Orientals, that any extraordin-
airy boldness on the part Of mice is a
sure sign Of their possessing treasure
Of some sort. Capital is supposed to
confer upon them the same independ-
ence of demeanor which it does upon
human beings. The mice had display
ed extraordinary impudence in their
approach Of him, therefore Saith was
quite sure there must be more money
in their hoard than the single dinar
which had been produced. He there
fore replaced the coin where the mouse
had laid it, and shook his head, in or
der to convey to the expectant animal
that more must be forthcoming before
q release could be ganted to the cap
tive 2. g. - ,9z5 s s !.
After waiting q little, the mouse re-
tired with a disappointed air. but re-
appeared quickly with another dinar,
similar to The first, in its mouth. This
it deposited on the floor by the other,
and sat up in q suppliant attitude, as
though asking for pity and considera-
ton. The boys cupidity and hope now
began to rise together, and he had no
thought Of liberating his very profitable
prisoner until perfectly sure that he had
exacted the uttermost farthing which
the pair could command So he con-
tinued to maintaina stern and unyield-
ing countenance, on which the petit
toner could perceive no sign of com
passion. 81 So
a third journey to the hole now took
place, and a third coin was produced.
The same dumb show was presented,
and the. piece proceeded as before be-
tween the two actors. Sometimes the
mouse would sit for longer space than
at others, in the hope, apparently, that
the extortionate youth would either
pity, or become wearied with long
waiting, but finding these expectations
disappointed, it would again return to
the treasure house tor another dinar.
3Salih, when telling the story AFTER
ward, asserted that its yisage length
:encd perceptibly with each journey it
took. The floor was soon strewed with
gold. pieces, the original glittering hue
Of which had been dimmed BY long neg
lect, and the deposits of centuries of
mould; here and there though, brilliant
flashes came from those parts Of them
which had been olawed by the mice when
they turned over, and doubtless count
ed, their hoard. 2 5ts$s .s3si 4.
When twenty-five separate journeys
had been made to the treasury, and
twenty-five dinars exhibited to the de-
lighted gaze Of Saith, the mouse depart
ed and reappeared with-no coin, but
an old leather bag or purse. Bringing
this to part Of the floor where the
moonbeams shone brightest, it careful
" turned the receptacle inside out.
There was nothing within. The bag
was evidently the original house Of the
dinars strewed around, and it was also
clear that no more were forthcoming;
the poor mouse was bankrupt; and with