Baxter Springs news. [volume] (Baxter Springs, Kan.) 1882-1919, 1891-10-10
MICE IN the PIANO.
HoW Ceatiy Musical InatrGpenss May -
Greatly Damaged BY RodsntS.


A mouse and u piano are seemingly
Of no associated interest. yet they arV
often given joint consideration. saU
the Kansas City Star. This little ~
dent can In few minutes do . large
amount Of damage to the musical ia-
strument. He sometimes finds biz
way into . piano. and then woe unts
the action and the banners The iA-
tricate and complicated action impcdeG
lis progress and he gnaws through q
The little straps and felt hammers arc.
chewed into bits. The reason 70 Oh.
vious. They make soft and dowly
nests.
A piano used frequently IL not %
often visited, but one standing in Q
quiet corner Of the parlor. its use 10
ing merely that Of an ornament 10 q
retreat never overlooked BY mistress
mouse II she happens to pass by. Nc
eign For Rent" Is needed. It 10 dry
quiet and roomy. and the material foe,
u nest is near ut hand. The first isti
nations Of the little rodents presenos,
ure the numerous little squeaks en-
anating from the parlor. The entlrU
household turns out on . crusade
courageous Bridget taking the lead.
and the commanding housewife coz
stituting the rear guard. Every cor
ner is searched, furniture moved, and
things turned upside down. No mO0se
The piano is overlooked. and 10 cor
vention It Is decided that the disturb
ing element is under the floor and she.
search is given up. Some observing
member Of the household finally dis
covers the home of this terror Of house-,
keepers. and many are the expressions
Of establishment as to how 1t reached
its new home. for the piano is appaEt-
entity tightly-closed instrument frOnt
back. top and bottom. The Mttls.
beast crawls in under the pedalA
There Is an opening below each o.
allow room for play. Naturally. Whek
not pressed down by the foot, h seG1A
against the top Of the opening. leavisE
the vacant space below through which
the mouse crawls. The majority o.
pianos have no covering for this open
ing. which seems Of no consequences
while others have blocks Of felt haA
sharp little teeth soon remove tho
obstacle. Not only will o mouse dam!
age piano. bat he is apt to get in and
find that he can not get out. He dies
in there, and the result Is m uupleae-
ant and sickenbng odor in the parlOE
When first noticed 1t is credited to the.
account Of sewer gas.
A gentleman in this city recently
had an unpleasant experience with ..
mouse. 1t had found It's way into ths.
piano, and in its ramble of investiga-
ton got under the keys. One day the
atmosphere of the parlor seemed
rather close and a slightly disagUeo.
able odor. which the opening Of win
dows would not dispel 1t rapidly b.
came worse. and the family was con-,
PEELED to shut up the room. Il was
finally traced as they thought 70 the
piano. The front was accordingly
taken out and q close investigation
made, but nothing was visible. Tho
action, however. showed evidences q
having been gnawed by . mouse, and.
q piano repairer was sent for. H.
took out the keyboard, and under
meath was the fast-decaying remains
of the fated mouse. II is supposed
that some member Of the family struck
q note or two on the piano while thG'
mouse was under there. and & wan
crushed or disabled 30 that it cOuIGj
not yet out. -