The sun., 1892-02-07
WONDERFUL TRAINED RATS.
They "Plsy Cars" md Coamit Suicide Now
and Thea,


and Thea.
Tho Paris Temps publishes an extraordinary
article on rats. 1t appears that at the Foles
Bergeres there is q Russian rat tanner who is
now giving funny exhibition. He has fat
rats. lean rats. black rats. white rats. big rats
and. strangest Of all. little rats. Everybody
has seen big rat. but for little rat it is nec-
essary to 60 to the Folics Bcrgercs
Il found DourofY. tho rat trainer" says the
Temps reporter. overseeing tho work OF lay
ing miniature railroad. circular in form. In
q sort Of Franco-Itussun glbbcrish he was
scolding tho workmen who were handling a
little train formed of IL locomotive. three
wagons. and n baggage van When this was
done little wooden station house was brought
out and put in position All nlons thcline
there wore posts for swichmen and signals
Then when all was ready cage full Of rats
was carried behind the scene.
Dourofr clapred his hands. Immediately
tho rats cnme out aud jumped upon the plat
form OF the station. Half IL dozen fat fellows
climbed into the ilrst-class carriage and sat
white rats with thoir heads and ncrks iycd
cioaks. Eot into the second class; and rag rag
took the tiiird class. Upon the platform /.
Crent int fellow. tho boss, station master. or
chtt de gdre. as Tho French call TINT official.
walked pompously up and down ana suprrin-
tended the whole business. puying special al
fen'Hn andr to o"q@ esh 81 w"I basn bhans t wsrs
little trunks and carefully placed them in tho
lukes his position. Another chap gets into the
lookout. and another takes up his position in
the rointsman, bog. Thereis another whistle.
Tho locomotive pufs and the train starts. On
up tho little iron ladder; looks down upon tho
I tan / DplroN n ho
reporter. And doubtless you think it wonder.
M an Is wsoG tns 9ns With the
Eilsi,sd wit9a! tIS least Difficulty, mis- Is
lplncel the black rats Oh tho latiorin in front
and water was preparedforthcm Ilii the SAME
lookout. and tho bssguecmrn. Th"y Tihii all got got
ss 0s tsa srSap DssPsr and s Est 81
little tho habit grew, upon thrm until lot
tl;m al out at o. once Eaei one togk .s place
run run, by ths ,g engineer l. goes ~ sort Of eiock
Doaroft then told The reporter s H ths nf dicul
.aS Waa Ct 1t the %s ssstS ss
Wy; ;"TSs,s goes aso.hsr ISss, I, said hs sS?sil I"ii
bloom Of youth. Ho won die right away: is T. he
will lingcr q week, perhaps two. but he is
bounu t3 die or go mad. " he gets crazy tho
poor li,.d !ittie deyil will commit suicide
why yes you may laugh as much as you
choose. but can tell You that suicide is quite
common among rats. don't believe there is
creature in tho world more mpressionab ble
or OF Temperament more inclined to mean.
choly or with q nervous system more fragile
than rat Would you believe II that out OF
my $50 pets have always about thirty on the
sick ist? degree, more or loss Of heat or
cold in their cnge knocks out eight or ten.
Pneumonia finishes one OF them In forty -eight
hours. But that Is nothing The. g -eat thing
Is to see to their amusement. II ! did not
sye them the their freedom every second
Of sheir cage for a a Gonple OF hours every day
ip a = enclosed place. would lose one.haIf Of
come. melancholy, and at the end Of three
all my. care some OF them still 60 mad. You
should see mad rat run amuck among the
rest Then the others. exaspsrated at his out.
rageons conduct. attack him -furiollsly. aud
soon finish him. Some rats. as told you. com
NIT suicide. They refuse all kinds Of food No
amount Of coaxng and petting can cheer them
when IN the meinn.hoy mood. They reius,
to- eat until they die.
Do you think that lis fellow that fell down.
threw himself down Intentionally
That is my belief said Dourofi. i would
csress the wounded rat. 'Mouchks. my poor
little Mouchka,' he murmured. You want to
leave your old mssterf All. bad Mouchke Il"