The Bottineau pioneer. (Bottineau, N.D.) 1885-1895, 1892-01-23
4 MOUSE ON a sFRHE.
Trying to Stand On lts Head and
Do Other Things.

lTyin8 20 SV2no On It0 Head n
Do Other ThinGs.
We first became acquainted on a
rainy night in October. I was sitting
ct my fire when I heard a faint rust
ling in some paper that I had drop
ped beside my chair, and glancing
down, l saw the bright eyes OF a little
mouse. I say it was a little mouse,
Tor this one was so small that it was
evidently not fully grown, and as I soon
saw, was not yet afraid of man.
It sat quietly watching me for a full
minute when quietly extending my
arm caught it in my hand. l reached
tor the plate of cake at my elbow,
orumbed a morsel and put it before
my tiny captive. 1t was trembling a
little, but presently, treasured; it be-
gan to nibble at the cake, pausing
svery now and then to glance at me
with it's bright, dark eyes.
Then, having further refreshed it by
. drop of water proffered on a large
pens point, l placed my little prison
Or in g. temporary stronghold formed
OF an inkstand, a paper weight and a
stamp box, from which it sat watch
ing me without the slightest appear
ance OF uneasiness OF desire to escape.
My lonliness, cheered even by the
presence of this scrap of life, I resum-
cd my writing, pausing every now and
then to nod and speak to my guests.
1t was with real regret that l felt I
must release the little creature when
my work was finished, and it had an
other feast of cake. l heard the
clocks warning that it grew late.
With a parting smooth of it's satiny
skin with my finger, l put it on the
floor, and watched it steal away un-
der the wainscotting of the room,
and saw what had escaped my OBJ.
%servation before that the mouse was
lame in one limb.
OF course, I never expected to see it
again, but on the following night was
glad to see it come creeping back
about my feet, whan I placed it once
more on my table. This time, feeling
rather ashamed that l had offered it
the indignity before, l made not at.
tempt to hold it in prison, but al.
lowed it to wander about the books
and papers as it would, which it did
IN so gentle and unobtrusive a way as
not to disturb me or the articles with
which the table was strewn.
My pen seemed to greatly excite its
wonder, and as it hurried over the pa
per, jamie, as l named my mouse,
would sit close to the sheet watching
the letters from beneath the mysteri-
GUS, swiftly travelling engine.
All that winter jamie and l kept
each other company every night, two
boon companions, who never bored
each other with conversation, and yet
were the better for the companion
ship. W. had many a jolly midnight
feast together, when jamie sat upon
the edge Of my plate, accepting such
morsels as l protfered her, but never
guilty of the rudeness Of appropriate
ing even a crumb unlimited.
On one occasion, however, there oc
Cured a sad mishap. My landlady
had brought me up a slice of the dish
known as "Tipsy Squire" which, as
probably you are aware, has a sauce
made of wine or brandy. Not know
ing this, and too busy myself to taste
it just then, l gave jamie a few crumbs,
and went on with my work.
Presently l was alarmed and puzzled
to see my quiet little friend endeavor-
ing to stand on her head. Not suo-
ceeding IN this, she tore about the ia
BILE, pausing every now and then to
perform q dance and throw a half
somersault.
1t finally dawned upon me what was
the matter, when, l am ashamed to
say, l laughed loud and long. This
seemed to attract Janie's attention,
for she stopped short in her frenzy
and came creeping to my hand, in
which she laid herself, and turned her
eyes piteously, as if to say, II know
I've been unlady]ike. Oh! what is the
matter with me?"
l made her a bed of some jewelers.
cotton, and there she slept her intoxi-
cation away.
Poor little jamie! Her fate is un-
known to me. One night in early
Spring l looked for her in vain, and
many nights after would glance up
from my writing at the faintest rustic
in the room, only to find that the
wind was the cause, or the falling of
an ember Of my fire. She came no
more, and thou II l had no particular
cause to suspect HIM, | conceived an
aversion to the household cat, and
always looked away whenever he sat
and licked his chops before me.-Phila-
delphia Times.
C~NS A4~o%,~ x-~,, 80. 800. 1p