Belmont chronicle. [volume] (St. Clairsville, Ohio) 1855-1973, 1889-10-24
A MOUSE'S ADVENTURE.
A TALE FOR LITTLE ONES.

Away over the kingdom of Han-Ki
Pan, ever so many years ago, there dwell
a very aristocratic family of mice.
They were known to be aristocrati
because they had such beautiful soft
fine fur, such thin ears, such long whisk
ers, such bright eyes, such sleek, smooth
tails. and such sharp teeth and claws,
The houses they lived in were o1
white rice straw, and the clothing they
wore was woven in the same looms as
that of the mandarin.
One of this very high-toned family
was young gentleman mouse named
Tor-tu. They called him this because
he always held his nose so high in the
air.
Now, there was nothing under the sun
that ever satisfied Tor-tu. His clothing
was never fine enough; he found fault
with his food, and the weather never
suited him. But he criticised his fami-
ly more than all the rest.
"You live such humdrum lifeI' he
said. "You stay here year after year in
this straw housel You do the same
things over and overI I'm tired of it
all, and 1 mean to go and see what there
is beyond the rice-feldI'
His father and mother tried to reason
with him.
You grieve us very much" Tor-tu," :"
they said, solemnly. "Do you know
have you not been taught by all the
wise ones in our family, that this rice
field is all there is of the world. On
this side is the sea, and on the other the
field ends against the sky. You are
very foolish to waste your strength wan
dering about"
But Tor-tu would not listen. He
dressed himself in his gayest coat of red
and blue, and put ON his yellow cap
and tassel.
Then, selecting his most gorgeous fan,
he started out upon his journey to see
what the world was like.
He travelled all day long without meet
ing any one except some common field
mice, who wore dusty gray coats. Of
course he would not speak to them. 4.
Toward evening he began to grow
tired and hungry. He saw some houses
now and then; but they were inhabited
by the field-mice, and clearly not fit
places for such as he.
1t would never do for one of the Han
Dor fn nj oh
with them.
At last, however, he grew so faint and
weary that he had almost made up his
mind to pocket his pride, at least until
he had something to eat, when he saw
in the distance a house much larger
than the others.
AS he came nearer he observed that it
was very beautiful house. There were
wide porehes around it, and the win
dows were broad and high.
He saw groups of people about the
verandas and in the yard. They seemed
to be very great people; for their cloth
ing was of the most gorgeous coloring,
and covered with spangles of what
seemed gold and silver.
Tor-tu stopped and looked at himself.
His beautiful dress was dusty from his
ong days tramp.
A few moments before he had debated
whether he could find a place good
enough for him; now he wondered if
these grand people would think him
good enough for them.
He laid aside his usual naughty de-
meaner and went forward very humbly.
The first person he met was very
1ueer-looking gentleman. His face was
covered with something white, on which
appeared bright red spots, which Tor-tu
thought rather odd; but he concluded
that he must be the distinguishing mark
Of some great family. On his head was
a queer pointed hat, and altogether his
appearance was very peculiar.
Tor-tu made low bow, and spoke in
the manner which his interiors were ae- !
customed to use when speaking to him.
"Most wise and reverend sir" he said,
''will you permit poor wayfarer, who
is hardly worthy to cook your rice, but
who is very tired and hungry, to rest
awhile in your house?"
The queer host looked him over with
a rather comical expression. Then.
pushing his hat on one side of his haed,
and placing his hands on his hips,h he sud
denly leaped into the air, and turned
over, and landed on his feet |
again directly in front of the astonished
Tor-tu.
"Can you do that?" he asked with a
grin.
81 am afraid not" faltered poor Tor
tu, who thought this the most extraordi-
nary behavior he had ever witnessed.
"Oh, well, never mind" said the host,
good naturedly. No doubt you can
learn. Come in and have something to
eat, and I'll introduce you to the ladies"
The house was full of people, and
each one seemed more queer than the
other, and they behaved so strangely,
too. While they were dining, the ladies
amused themselves by balancing their
chop-sticks on their noses. They SEEM
ed quite as much at home standing on
their heads with their tales sticking up
in the air, or hanging by their heels, as
any other way.
Finally Tor-tu ventured to inquire
what great parsonage it was who had
to make him his guest,
timidly, that their manners
were new and strange to him, and apol-
ogizing for not at once conforming to
their style, because he feared he might
break his back.
The big host laughed long and loud,
and all the others chimed in. The mer-
riment had startling effect on them.
They all sprang up and began to jump
over each others heads, run up long