Elmore bulletin. [volume] (Rocky Bar, Idaho) 1889-1906, 1893-04-01
PETs OF A PAlNTeR.
I've Trained Mice That Have a Pleasant
Life Ia an Artists studio.

trained VICE lhAt ttayN
Life Ia an Artists studio.
IL was the poet Lowell who sang. There's
never loaf nor blade too mean to be
some happy creatures palace Evena dis. |
carCied cigar box may be 4 palace-not for
Que only, but for TWO very happy creatures,
as is demonstrated in the studio Of George
w Patt, the well known painter of still
life
High mp Ia the Lake Side building in
Mr. Platts studio, which overlooks the
tops OF smoke cnclouded chimneys and the
upper air architecture of tall buildings, Is
an oddly and simply coutrived toy struct
ure made OF small aud "A large cigar boz.
The boxes are set one upon the other in
such way that an upper and lower story
is formed The primitive trap door, which
leads IT. the upper apartment. Is reached
by means Of little slH' la.itlcr twa inehe-
wide
The occupants ~ THIS Z" al3n" con
structed expressly fnr their pecummntia
tion, are two lilllr gray brown mice They
are the common, everyday sort tnat are
| housekeeper, especial annoyance and aver
/ sion.
! Being greatly pr~tsred with the miet
/ which were called to his stut'in hN the frt,i'
/ and other ediblcs which hr used ~ inuttels
/ for his work MIR Platt was obliged 10 con
stantly trap them. lie gancicd that thr
little creatures were intelligent. and. dtSir
| ing To study them. arranged the cigar
| boxes for th ir accommodation aud sci. a
couple of ucm up housekeeping ON their
own accol at. At the front OF their small
residence j. l'it of window glass. ard not
only we n their daily lives an open secret
but tbay very soon became accustomed 10
the u sar presence ~ people who were Ia
an, f.aft I.t ftag 4 i.nx
we no harmed. they became perfectly
fe srlszss, and spUn took their food readily
ON Mr.. platt's haud Their names are
'hnnie and Fritz, aud when johnnie is
addressed Fritz does not pay the slightest
attention, aud when Fritz is spoken to
Johnnie does not make IL his affair.
Their bed j. a small pasteboard box that
il set in the upper part of their house
This is filled with paper, and the principal
( industry Of these two jolly and wise little
fellows is chewing this paper into bits and
arranging il according To their ideas of
comfort, and also treadug wire wheel
smaller in size but similar TO those in the
cages OF squirrels. When either one or
the other j. ordered 10 20 to bed he springs
up the little slat ladder, opens the trap
door that leads 10 their bedchamber aud
with one bound springs in among the bits
nothing but his bright eyes and the end OF
his doubled up tail is visible.
II botharc ordered 10 retire they lie down
eontentcdly together. II they are either OF
them told 10 tread their wheel for bit Of
cracker or u few grains Of sugar, they will
fly around it like mad for he coveted bit
They are particularly fond Of cake, cracker
sugar and nuts hut disproye the legendary
belief that mice are fond Of cheese, as they
will not touch il il they can get anything
else
They are gentle little creatures and can
be handled with perfect impunity Occa
sionally they bite the little wire with which
they are whipped IN a vengcful and savage
sort OF fashion, hut this Is the only evi
dence they give OF an evil disposition
They are exceedingly neat, aud spend muei
time polishing their sharp noses and tidy
ing themselves up generally. They are ex
eeedingly fond Of jelly, hut are very careful
not To touch IL with their little paws
They take it into their mouths with the
tongues and without letting il come in con
tact with their fur.
They have upon several occasions escape
from their "palnce," hut have always coml
, back within twenty four hours, evidencins
desire to be recaptured. Having haC
, everything which mouse could possibl,
desire provided without effort. they eyi
IDENTIFY do not desire laborious freedom ac
companicd with uncertain rations Ger
} tainly these two small foes OF women, /
: appearances mean anything, are as happl
in their cigar box palace as they are Gu
/ rioas and entertaining, Chicago Post.