The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1891-03-18
PETS OF A PAINTER.
Two Trained Mice That Have a Pleasant
Life in an Artists Studio

Two Trained Mice That Have a Pleasant
Life in an Artists Studio.
1t was the poet Lowell who sang, There's
never loaf nor blade too mean to be
some happy creatures palace" Even dis
carded cigar box may be palace-not for
one only, but for two very happy creatures,
as is demonstrated in the studio of George
w. Platt, the well known painter of still
! life
High up in the Lake Side building, in
/ Mr.. Pfatt's studio, which overlooks the
tops of smoke enclouded chimneys and the
upper air architecture of tall buildings, is
! an oddly and simply contrived toy struct-
ure made of a small and large cigar box.
The boxes are set one upon the other in
such way that an upper and lower story
is formed. The primitive trap door, which
leads to the upper apartment, ia reached
by means of a little slat ladder two inches
wide
The occupants of this palace" con-
structed expressly for their accommoda-
ton, are two little gray brown mice They
are the common, everyday sort that are
housekeepers' especial annoyance and aver
sion
Being greatly pestsred with the mice, |
which were called to his studio by the fruit |
and other ecibies which be used az models /
for his work. Mr.. Plat was obliged TO CON |
staDtly trap them. He fsncied that the /
little creatures were intelligent, and, desir-
ing TO study them, arranged the cigar
boxes for their accommodation and set a
couple of them up housekeeping On their
own account. At the front OF their small
residence is bit OF window glass, and Dot
only were their daily lives an open secref.
rher-r - !
the near presence OF people who were in
and out OF the studio. Finding that they
were not harmed, they became perfectly
fearless, and soon took their food readily
from Mr. Platt's hand. Their names ara
Johnnie and Fritz, and when Johnnie il
addressed Fritz does not pay the slightest
attention. and when Fritz is spoken to
Johnnie does not make II his AFFAIR.
Their bed Is . small pesteoosrd boz that +,
: set IN the upper part Of their house &,
This r filed with paper, and the principal q
industry OF these two Jolly and wise little
fellows Is chewing this paper into bits and {
arranging IL according to their ideas Of .
comfort and also treating wire wheel q
mailer In size bet similar TO those in the 6
ages Of squirre!z When either enc or o
he other II ordered to go TO bed he spring. e
up The little siA: ladder, opens the trap ,
loot that teacs 70 their bedcSznbeY srsd y
via ooe bound springs ira among thebitz &
II paper, drawing them over him until 4
sothiDg but his a~ighs eyes and the end Of d
Us doubled mp tai - visible q
IL both are ordered to retire taey ~ down =
On tentediy together. II they sreesexser az a
ben told 10 tresd their wheei for q hstc< g
zacker or few grains CT sugar, they viii 4
y srooDd il Ike mad for the c1~etcd ut
hey are particularly fond CT cake. ex~ese- | a,
us2r and nuiA, b0s dssprove the le.-ndx-y "A
efief shas mice ARE fond OF cheese. zs sh~r h
MI not torch Il II they can get ssytling II
lse :.
They arc gentle Issle creatures ard can &
: handled with pe-fsct snpxnsy. Ooz- az
cnally they bite tie lfssse vire With y MICA n
1ey are whipped Ia a vengesol zxd sa~ag~ A
~ Of fashion. bsls this = lie srfy erf- ! ar
snoe they give q "a evil assposarsca. | a.
SG are exceedingly Eezs. xsa sS<rG uauea | e