The Goodland republic. [volume] (Goodland, Kan.) 1891-1907, 1892-03-25
OUR YOUTHFUL READERS.
INTERESTING AND INSTRUCTIVE
READING FOR THE YOUNG.
A Short Feast--PhysIcal Training
A Grow Consplraoy--A Boys
Ideas on Breath--A Bear
Story,
A Short Feast,
BY EVA LovETT CARSON.

By EVA LoVETT CARSON.
There was once an old rat who lived
Tn garrett. He had begun life there,
and having now u large family, he
found it inconvenient to move. But
the garnet had one drawback as a
place OF residence. 1t was long dis.
tance from the kitchen, and the rat,
having to 60 so far to forage Tor food,
found it not always easy to supply
the needs Of his growing family.
One night he started down the gar
ret stairs to find something for sup
per. His tail sounded thump, thump
on every step. Any one listening
could have heard the patter OF his
feet through the hail. But everybody
was asleep. The sitting room door
stood open. As the rat passed he
glanced in, and noticed IL queerly
shaped bag lying upon the table. He
went nearer to investigate, and found
81 bag of lovely fresh biscuits-at least
two pounds. Here was u treasure in
deed
"Aha!" cried Mr.. Rat, smacking his
lips; al shall not go down to the
kitchen for supper tonight"
He reflected upon what he had
better do. He could not carry the
whole bag up stairs. II he took the
biscuits up one at time, he would
not be able to secure all OF them be-
fore he was discovered. Must he lose
this feast, and be content with the
two or three he could eat before morn
ing2
lie looked about the room, and his
eyes fell upon the open CRATE, bare and
freIess. 1t was only used in the cold
est weather.
"Just the thing" said the wise rat.
With biscuit in his mouth he ran
up the nue, and found there asplendll
hiding-place. The chimney was filled
with u bag OF straw, and behind it he
secreted the biscuits, making many
Journeys, and leaving only enough in
Che bag to provide u hearty supper
for the young rats after his eXertions.
The next morning there was great
cutlery among the children. Some
one had eaten thesweet biscuitsl The
bag was emptyl
"Micel" declared Aubrey.
"Nonsense" cried nurse. "No
mouse-no, nor ten mice-could eat
ell those biscuits in one night"
But nobody solved the riddle. The
rat family lived high for u week, and
Mr.. Rat grew fat from finding contin-
uaI suppers ut such short range.
At the end of the week there came
dig snow-storm, and then hard frost.
The house was very cold. Mamma
decreed extra fires, and Nancy came
up stairs to build fire in the sitting
room CRATE,
"Don't forget the straw bag, Nan
Gy," SAID Nurse. cts put into the
chimney to keep out the wind, but
you must take it down before you
start thefre."
Nancy put her arm up the chimney
to pull down the straw bag, One end
seemed quite loose, but the other was
wedged in tight, She gave hard tug,
and the bag came away so suddenly
that she tumbled over backward.
"AIy goodness" cried Nancy.
For after the straw bag followed u
shower of SCOT, and then a shower OF
curiously shaped objects, which had
once been white, but had grown gray
and then black in their hiding-place.
But the parties ieasting upon them
had never hesitated upon that ac-
count.
When she had examined them,
Nancy called nurse, who was duly sur
prised, and then she called the chill
dren, who added ,"Ohs" and "Ahsl"
to suit the occasion.
ats them lost biscuits, to be sure!"
pronounced nurse. "Andit's that old
garnet rat that's done 1.-THE wretch!
hear him come thumpin' down them
garnet stairs every night"
Presently the fire blazed and roared
up the chimney, and threw flashes OF
tight into the farthest corners. That
night when the old garnet rat came
down and saw it, his heart sank down
into his toes. He knew he would have
to 90 all the way down to the kitchen
again to find a supper, His royal
time was over. -Harper's Young Peo-
pie.