Lawrence democrat. (Lawrenceburg, Tenn.) 1884-1925, 1891-09-18
MICE IN THE PIANO.
How Costly Musical Instruments May he
GreatlY Damaged by Rodents.


Greatly Damaged by Rodents.
A mouse and piano are seemingly
of no associated interest, yet they are
often given joint consideration. This
little rodent can in few moments do
large amount of damage to the musical
instrument He sometimes find his way
into piano, and then woe unto the ac-
tion and the hammers. The intricate
and complicated action impedes his
progress and he gnaws through it, The
little straps and felt hammers are
chewed into bits. The reason is obvi-
ous They make soft and downy nests.
A piano used frequently is not so Of
ter visited, but one standing in quiet
corner of the parlor, it's use being mere
ly that of an ornament, is retreat new
er overlooked by mistress mouse If she
happens to pass by. No sign For
Rent" is needed. 1t is dry, quiet and
roomy, and the material for nest is
near at hand. The first intimations Of
the little rodents presence are the nu-
merous little squeaks eminating from
the parlor The entire household turns
out on crusade, courageous Bridget
taking the lead, and the commanding
housewife constituting the rear guard.
Every corner Is searched, furniture
moved, and things turned upside down.
No mouse. The piano is overlooked,
and in convention it is decided that the
disturbing element is under the floor
and the search is given up Some OBJ
serving member of the household final
ly discovers the home of this terror of
housekeepers, and many are the ex-
pressions of astonishment as to how it
reached its new home for the piano is
apparently tightly-closed instrument,
front, back, top and bottom. The lit
tie beast crawls in under the pedals.
There is an opening below each to
allow room for play. Naturally, when
not pressed down by the foot, it rests
against the top of the opening, leaving
the vacant space below through which
the mouse crawls. The majority Of
pianos have no covering for this open
ing, which seems of no consequence,
while others have blocks of felt, but
| sharp little teeth soon remove this OBJ
stacle. Not only will mouse damage
a piano, but he is apt to get in and find
that he can not get out. He dies in
there, and the result is an unpleasant
and sickening odor in the parlor, When
first noticed it is accredited to the ac-
count of sewer gas.
A gentleman in this city recently had
an unpleasant experience with mouse,
1t had found its way into the piano. and
in its ramble of investigation got under
the keys. One day the atmosphere of
the parlor seemed rather close and a
slightly disagrceable odor, which the
opening of windows would not dispel
1t rapidly became worse, and the fam
lily was compelled to shut up the room.
1t was finally traced as they thought to
the piano. The front was accordingly
taken out and a close investigation
made, but nothing was visible. The
action, however, showed evidences of
having been gnawed by mouse, and a
piano-repairer sent for. He took out
the keyboard, and underneath was the
fast-decaying remains of the fated
mouse. 1t is supposed that some mem.
ber of the family struck note or two
on the piano while the mouse was un-
der there, and it was crushed or dis,
abled, so that it could not get out. -
Kansas City Star,