Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1895-11-28

Hatto would give them nothing. Day
after day the cries of starvation were
heard at his gate At last he told them
that on a certain day his large barn should
be open for any one to enter who chose,
and that as much food should be given
them as would last them all winter. The
children We're full of JOY when their
mothers told them they should be hun
! CRY no longer; they called him the good
bishop" and longed for the happy day to
| come
At last the day did come, and the wom-
en- and children as well as men, old and
young, crowded about the barn door.
Hattie watched them with smile on his
selfish face, until the place was quite full;
then he fastened The door, and actually
set fire to the barn, and burned it to the
ground. AS he listened to the cries of
agony, he said to himself, GLOW much
better it will be when all these rats are
killed, for they never do anything but
eat and beg for more" Then he went to
his palace and sat down to his dainty
meal, and chuckled to himself as he
thought OF the way in which he had dis
posed OF the Gratis
The next morning, however, change
came over the cruel man; for, looking up
at the wall, his eyes fell upon the spot
where the night before had hung like
ness Of himself, and he saw that the
picture had been eaten by rats. He was
frightened. He thought of the poor,
| dying people whom he had called rats,
and he began to tremble. While he
stood not knowing What to do, a serving
man came in, saying that the rats had
eaten all the corn that had been stored in
/ the granaries. Not mouthful was left.
Scarcely had the man finished speaking
when another servant came running into
/ the palace, pale with fright. He said that
! ten thousand rats We're coming fast to
the palace, and he told Hattie to fly for
his life. THE rats shall not find me"
said Hattie. Il will go and shut myself
up in my strong tower on the Rhine.
i There the walls are high and the stream
/ is swift, and no rats can reach me-
He started without delay, crossed the
Rhine, and shut himself up in his tower.
He fastened every window, ordered the
! servants to lock the door, and after a
while lay down and tried to sleep. But
suddenly shrill scream startled him. on
opening his eyes he saw the cat on his
pillow. She too was terrified, for she
knew that the rats We're close upon them.
From his window in the tower the
frightened and astonished man saw the
black crowd of rats swiftly coming.
They had crossed the river, and were
marching in straight line towards his
hiding place. Not by dozens and scores,
but by thousands, he creatures came.
Hattie, trembling in every limb, looked
around for some means of escape. He
called loudly to the servants, but they
had fled. He thought to follow them,
but when he tried the door he found it
locked on the outside. To leap from the
window would be certain death.
Meanwhi he rats came heller SHELTER
into the tower. Hattie heard them gnaw-
ing at his door, and he imagined they
were whetting their teeth on the stones
outside. Some climbed up the wall to
the window. IN every crack and crevice
he fanced he saw thousands of eyes, like
CLASSY black beads, peering at him.
Terrified beyond measure, he gave up all
hope of escape, and sank upon the iioor.
When the servants returned they found
their master dead in his room. They be-
lieved that the rats had come as judg-
ment upon him for his cruel deed; and
some even said that these creatures had
eaten him up. Near the city of Bingen
on the Rhine there stIll stands tower
called the "Mouse-ToWer of Bishop
Hatto."