Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-06-22
ST DRY OF RATS
The karauding Rodents Make Garden.
er's Life Miserable
4 Well-known Citisen Driven TO De-
spair and His Sweet Peas
Ruined.

There Is murder in the heart OF a certain
citizen OF Washington. Ordinarily. he IL Q
mild-mannered. gentle fellow. whose genia,
ways have won for him a host OF friends
but just at present he seethes with a desire
for gore. The cause OF this metamorphosis
brings TO light an interesting story. whee
the frost went out of the ground IN early
spring this citizen. who owns a fine home
in the northwestern section of the city. be
gan to dig and delve in his back yard. ana
along the fence on the sunny side he plant
ed some Of Secretary Morton's sweet peas.
In time the dainty leaves came into the
air and began to spread. A lot OF nice dried
twigs was obtained. and on these the fraii
tendrils OF the plants were induced to curl
themselves. All seemed well, and the ciu-
zen was complacently looking forward TO
the time when he could pluck his own flow
ers and go adorn his buttonhole with the
pride of producer.
Watching for the Nandnl.
But. suddenly. fortnight or so ago. he
noticed that the leaves had begun TO droop
and wilt and some seemed TO 1--we been nip
ped from the vine. Some creatuf>was evi-
Gently feasting on the sweet peas ~ cit
izen kept no goat or cow. nor any other
dumb yegetarian-no cat to trample down
the plants. no small children 10 surrepu-
tiously pluck the leaves. The would-bs
granger was nonplussed and he determined
TO watch. So he took up his post at .
lear window that commanded view OF
his garden, and kept his eyes on the sweet
pea bed. An hour passed and then another.
Finally. when the servant had folded her
oishcloths and disappeared. and all was
still, there was a movement in the yard.
The citizen. who had begun to doze, awoks
suddenly and watched keenly. From under
fence dividing from h.
bors lot there came a rat, a great fellow,
gray at the muzzle and sleek as a well-fed
cat. lie was a veritable grandfather OF
rodents. Close behind him came his spouse
gray ike her mate. and OF great size. Al
her heels there trooped the rest OF the
family, four young RATS about half grown.
When the entire half dozen had come
from the tunnel under the fence there
was pause, during which the eldefs
sat on their quarters and shifted the
air. Then they made straight for the
sweet-pea bed. and all six began to nibble.
Lear after leaf disappeared, and after the
citizen had recovered from his astonishnent
he leaned out of the window ana CLAIMED
his hands vigorously. With six swishes OF
fence.
Then the citizen thought and became de-
termn ed So he went TO the nearest apoth-
ecary shop. and after some embarrassing
eApians lions 10 the cautious young man AT
the soda fountain, who vas In charge Of
the ESTABLISHMENT he secured a generous
quantity OF arsenic. The next evening the
citizen sat again In the window watching,
ana SIX large chunks Of meat temptingly
lay on the ground near the mouth OF the
tunnel A white powder was generously
bespr1nkled over the pieces At about the
usual hour the gray beard parent made his
appearance. followed by the prides OF his
heart, and after the preliminary sniff ali
SIX We're about to proceed TO the peas when
one OF the youngsters discovered the meat
and gave little squeak. which attracted
attention he nsh 30
heart beat high. The rats made a stimuli
taneous rush for the treacnerous feast and
disappeared from view into the ,Annel
The citizen went out and treated himself
10 drink OF lemon phosphate 10 celebrs te
his victory. Alas. Sor the vanity OF human
hopes.
The cirfzen watched the next evening. but
no rats came forth. He began TO worry
about the odors that he felt would be sure
10 follow the massacre.
another day passed. and again the citizen
stood at his window. watching his sweet
peas grow into loneliness He mad RECOVER
ed from his qualm OF conscience for having
taken life. and was beaming on the world.
suddenly spasm shook his frame His
eyes started from their sockets. and he felt
his hair rise into bristle.
On Hand Again.
From the mouth Of the tunnel there cana
six long. thin shapes. moving slowly, but
surely. toward the sweet peas.
Surely these could not be the living en-
bcdiments OF the rats that had made away
with the meat two days before. The arsenic
could not have been worthless. Were these
rodents iron-clad?
These thoughts iash-a through his MIND
as ne gazei at the rats-live rats-nibbIing
the leaves OF the sweet peas. He was too
much astonished even 10 brighten on the
unwelcome visitors. As he gazed he noted
that the rats were thin, very thin indeed
and they had lost their usual ytvacity The
arsenic no VI hsall x.-fsA
there was some consolation In thatat least
Then he clapped his hands and the rats
slid out of sight
So he thought once again. and on the
morrow he purchased a large quantity OF
genuine rat poison. With this he dosed
some more meat thickly, and again the
rats, still thin, but apparently convalescent
came forth. took each a piece. and returned
The citizen rubbed his hands in glee, and
told his friends OF his great generalship.
From day to day he reported silence ana
stiffness in the direction OF the tunnel AZ
last he was successful
But one day early in this week the anx-
ious inQu.rers about the rats were met
with moody silence and apparent impa-
thence. once more had the rodents raided
the sweet peas. They came trailing out
last Sunday evening, once more reduced IN
nesh and evidently unhappy. but with q
hearty appetite for fresh green leaves, and
again the citizen suffered a shock.
Heroic Measures.
He has now resolved on heroic measures
and has purchased one of those little rifles
that shoot bullets about the size OF small
peas and make no noise. Night after night
he has posted himself in the window, rife
across his knees. after the fashion OF early
pioneers in the great west watching for
Indians. Twice he has shot at the process
sion OF gray-brown marauders, but each
time his unsteady nerves have caused him
to miss his aim. He is in training now,
shooting daily at glass bottles ana other
targets. and hopes eventually 70 eNterminate
the family: though he has fears that the
rats are gifted with charmed lives Mean
while the sweet peas are leading an un-
certain existence.
To Go 10 the Ordnance Department..
Two officers Of the line Of the army viii
be transferred to the ordnance department.
as result Of the recent examination at
New York. Nine second lieutenants Of the
line were in the competition. Success for
them meant a commission as Hrst liaufan-