Delaware gazette and state journal., 1896-01-02
STONSADvENTURE WITH THERAT
Chicago Record.


Three cottages stand side by side in
a quiet street in Auburn Park. Each
OF them has a grass plot 25 feet square
IN front, while the houses themselves
are as alike rs three peas but there
al similarity ends Mr. Stapleton
Johnston lives in the middle cottage,
| ignoring the family on the one side and
ignored by the family on the other
side.
And this is what worries Stapleton
Johnston when he tells the following
story:
In the Johnston dining. room is
| china closet built into the wall. AT the
bottom double doors of wood open out
ward, disclosing three shelves on which
sundry articles Of domestic use are
stored
One night about a week ago Mrs.
Johnston heard rat gnawing behind
the wall. OF course she called to her
husband TO come and kill it, which, of
course, he didn't do.
Wait till he gets through and I'll
fix him." said Mr.. Johnston in su-
! perior tone of voice.
The very next night the rat got
through the back wall of the closet and
finding the front doors fast he began
to cut away at them with new energy.
The next evening when Mr.. Johnston
came homo he had a ball of heavy twine
and some eyelets, such as are screwed
into the backs of picture frames. He
fastened one eyelet TO the inside of the
door having the latch and tied one end
of the string into it. He fastened
another eyelet to the back of the cabi-
net, passed the string through it, drew
it out of the cabinet and trailed it into
the bedroom, tying ii to bedpost.
I'm leave the door open, !" explained
Mr.. Johnston, land when Mr.. Rat be-
gins to raise Cain in the house I'll pull
this string That will snap the door
shut and there I'll have him. l."
Mrs Johnston thought it remark-
ably ingenious scheme, only she sug-
gested that the rat would still be at
liberty.
mo, I'll close all the doors except
ing the one that opens into our bed
room. I'll have the candle ready and
you can hold it while | knock the rat
on the head with a stick" "
Everything was placed in readiness.
About IL o'clock Mr.. Johnston was
awakened by sharp dig in the ribs.
''Stapeton, she whispered, II do
believe that rat is in my bowl Of yeast
by the stoven'
Cautiously Mr. Stapleton Johnston
raised up, grasped the cord firmly and
yanked it vigorously. From the din
ing-room there came sound as III the
brakeman ON the suburban train had
slammed car door and Mr.. Johnston
bounded out of bed, with every muscle
tense.
"Hold the candle high, now," he
said, as he handed it to Mrs Johnston.
Together they passed into the dining
room, with their shadows ambling gro
tesquely along the wall.
| ''Oh, just look at my yeastr' ex-
claimed Mrs. Johnston stopping short
in her dismay.
Hang the yeast, responded her
husband, peering under the table, II
want crack at that rat.
''There he ISL whispered Mrs.
Johnston; ''there under the couch. y
Mr.. Johnston poked the broom handle
under it and dark, scurrying bunch
of squeaky fur dashed out, straight
toward Mrs. Johnston's IS bare feet.
"Wee-e-e-ow ch - she screamed in
high soprano, almost dropping the
candle in her fright.
Isabel Johnston What do you
mean? AT this hour Of the night, too
People will think I'm killing you.
Such senseless thing, too--yelping
that way. Ii you can't keep your
mouth closed give me the candle and
you 60 back to bed ~
Mrs Johnston's lip quivered mo.
ment at the harshness Of the tone, but
she was too much interested to back
out of the affair. She got up ON a din,
ing-room chair, holding the light as
Mr.. Johnston directed.
"Therc he goes!'' he exclaimed, aim
ing blow at the black streak thai
whisked past him. But he missed.
Closer and closer he pressed the little
animal. Finally the rat got away.
Every time it ran past its tormentor il
squeaked and snapped viciously. Twice
il made movements as il to stop anC
fight.
You'd better look out, Stapleton, >
warned his wifc from her chair.
"Don't you worry" he returned
81 won't be believing fit to raise the
neighbors, whatever happens.
1t was rather cold weather, and il
ono corner of the dining room, nea
the base burner, was small Seg GOV
I cred with board, in which were SOM
y potatoes which Mrs. Johns wa
afraid might freeze il left in tn,
I kitchen. The rat had Just run from
4 behind this TO the friendly shelter o
/ the couch. Johnston had Just nude
a movement toward it, when, like fury
a the rat charged upon him.
Johnston turned and ran. The ra
: was sharp after him and, bard pressed
t Johnston sprung upon the keg of pota
o toes. For one brief instant he stood
. tottering; then, ike fallen column
he pitched forward at full length upol
the floor, shaking the house to it
foundations.
When the world finally righted itsel
n and the stars had ceased to fall, Mr.
: Johnston discovered that he coull
9 stand. His wife was wholly unable +
t do so, but from different cause.
Q Well Stapleton, Hhe gasped, be
tween commissions. "yOu made nearl
g as much noise as | did !"
o Mr.. Stapleton Johnston didn't say
y word. Looking neither to the righ
& nor to tho left, he marched into tn
= spare bedroom, turned down the cover
and crept in. For an hour afterward
= the snickerings of Mrs. Johnston in tn
next room kept him awake.
d You see, | wouldn't have cared hal
y so much, said Mr.. Johnston, tellin
the story to friend; =" | wouldn't hay
cared half so much if it hadn't bee
that the Pryors next door We're all u
d and heard the whole circus III be
}, they're telling it around that l whippe
1t my wife last night"
g But what about the rat?" quorie