The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1895-05-25
MICE on THEIR METAL.
A Miniature Gloucester with Tiny
Rodents rs the Racers.


race track open and the click Of the ivory
chips was heard on Water street, Peter
Babcock never missed the boat which left
the South street slip at 1 O'Clock for the
lively resort down the Delaware. Peter
is now one Of the most prosperous bakers
In the old section OF Kensington. L was
his boast that he saw every race on the
Gloucester track from the falling Of the
first flag until the winning hoOf beats OF
Prince Imperial died away in the last
event. The racing of animals for purses
became a mania with the uptown baker.
When the laws heavy hand interposeC
and closed the gates Of the course on
the river bank IL did not kill the turf en-
thusiasm Of Peter On account OF his bus
mess ne could not follow the ponies 70
distant cities. lie missed the excitement
OF track and betting ring, and although
his business seemed TO prosper since
Gloucester closed, he was depressed IN
spirit one day after he had tried to find
vent for his sporting prOclivities bril-
liant Idea bearned on the discOnsOlate Da-
ker. All well regulated bakeries have an
abundance Of mice. Peter had often seen
them madly race across the floor of the
bake shop for dough. He determined TO
catch nest OF young mice and endeavor
10 train them 10 run races. He had lit.le
trouble In capturing the mice, but the per-
fecting OF the details of the racing estaO-
lishment was a hard task. He sacrificed
sleep that he might devote several hours
during the day to develop his stable OF
Peter tried dozen different methods 20
induce the youngsters to race, but all fail
ed. The preliminary training was done on
a long bread table, after a dough trough
mad been found useless for the purpose.
The table was not a success. When re-
leased at the post the mice made a break
for liberty in all directions All cakes in
BabcOck's establishment are baked in the
daytime. Frequently there were dozens of
pans nlled with cakes ready to be placed
IN the oven. In their wild dash for liberty
the mice often scampered across the soft
dough Of the cakes and left the imprints Of
their feet on old fashioned ginger cakes.
Thdt gave the sporting baker such heap
OF trouble that he determined to build
track on which his racers would have to
run true. The track was built, and to the
credit of the inventor II must be said that
nothing was left to be wished for.
1t was constructed In the rear of the
basement, dry and roomy spot In
and In width six feet. II was an oval-shap-
ed track. and the sides were lined with
glass TO prevent the mice from climbing
out. The top was surmounted by a fine
wire netting. The bottom of the track
proper IS about foot wide and is covered
with tightly drawn felt cloth. The quar-
ter-mile post, the half-mile post, and the
three-duarter mile post are indicated by
little American Gags.
When the mice were turned loose on
this track there was no possible way for
them to escape. At the same time there
was no apparent way 10 make them race
Babcock cudgeled his brain for some
method OF training the youngsters, but
nothing seemed TO present itself Tor some
weeks. Then by a happy inspiration Peter
determined to call upon nature for So
luton. He took a little bit of toasted
cheese, speared II upon the end of a sharp
stick, and after driving all the mice to one
end Of the track, held II about a foot from
the bunch of hungry youngsters. The way
the mice darted for that cheese was a eau
ton. Babcock would run around the track
rapidly with the mice straining every nerve
TO get the dainty morsel. and when he got
to the end would drop II into a hole bored
in the middle OF the track, which led to a
little compartment below. BY instinct the
mice seemed to know that the first one
in the hole would get the cheese. and It
was a pretty effort to see every one
running with might and main to get the
coveted purse.
There was some trouble at first to get
them to start properly, but this was over
come by an ingenious apparatus that re-
lected great credit upon the patient baker
A row of little stall were built across the
track, and the fronts were enclosed by an
arm. Each mouse entered in the race Is
placed in a separate stall. When the word
go" is given, the arm is raised, the stalls
tip downward and the mice are sent out
on the track all together.
1t proved to be a great deal of bother and
eXertiOn for Peter to run around the track
with the cheese, as he Is a corpulent man.
so another plan was hit upon, which served
to do away with this entirely. The track
is rolled with a cheese roller, all the way
from the start to the finish and when
the mice smell this trail there are no lag
ards on the way to the hole, where the
purse is suspended.
The diminutive thoroughbreds gave
Peter so much sport and satisfaction that
he determined to call in his friends and
permit them to share his fun. AS time
wore on. it was. noticed that one or two
mice developed greater speed than the
rest and Invariably captured the cheese.
Then it was determined to handicap these
speedy ones, and a neat plan was hit
upon. Different sized leaden pellets were
split spread apart and closed around the
middle portion of the runners tail. This
made the sport exciting indeed, and II was
not long until am enterprising friend put
up a black board and began to make a
book upon the result.
Last Wednesday being Brooklyn Handi-
cap day, Babcock determined to hold
grand meeting in his basement, and in
vited a large party of his friends. There
were seventeen entries, and each mouse
bore the name of some wel-known poll
tican, saloonkeeper or man about town.
The event was called the Fishtown Han
dicap, and the bookmaker's slate told the
tale of the entries and how they were
fNvf no