The Anaconda standard. [volume] (Anaconda, Mont.) 1889-1970, 1896-03-22
THE RATS KNOW RILEY.
He Shares His Luncheon With Them, nd
They Have Confdenoe In Him.
From the indianapolis Journal.


From the Indianapolis Journal.
Addison Riley, a blacksmith in the
employ of G.. II. Shower at 172 East
Market street, has a small company of
rats that come at his call each noon
hour. AS with the celebrated Pied Pi-
per of Hamelin, the rats come from
their holes at his bidding; but with the
case of Mr.. Riley, IL is food and not
music that attracts them. By careful
treatment. however. he has taught
them to know him, and they are no
more afraid of him than of a bushel of
corn. Each noon, as Mr.. Riley sits
down to his lunch, the rats begin to
come. and so great is their confidence
in him that they will climb on his lap,
eat from his hand. and allow him to
stroke them. After the meal they will
scamper back under the worn floors of
the shop.
The process by which Riley has sue
ceeded in training the rats has been a
tedious one. He commenced by get
ting them to come a little way from
their holes for crumbs. He then in
creased the distance between the food
and the rats retreat. They finally
learned that he meant them no harm,
and now he is regarded by them as a
great friend. The novelty of rats COM
ing from their places of safety to eat
from the hands of a man has attracted
many people TO his blacksmith shop
during noon hours. The rats will not
venture far out when any strangers
are near at hand. A stranger may
stand a few feet away, but 1t is OBJ
served that all the while the rats are
running about Riley they have an eye
on the stranger, and at the slightest
move they make they run away as fast
as possible.
Riley has seven or eight animals
III
from the other. There are three or
four old rats with white whiskers. but
the hot-blooded young ones are the
most daring. Occasionally a visiting
rat to Mr.. Riley's colony will come out
as far as the hole but will fly back with
dismay.
Riley has n fixed place for eating his
lunch. He has a small stool on which
he sits, placing his dinner basket in a
window easement. At his feet he places
some crumbs and dainty bits in a cigar
box, and while he eats the rats gather
around the box. They crowd and jostle
one another and while they are eating
Riley could kill all of them IL he wished
to, but he would not harm one of them.
There is nothing about the shop which
can be damaged by rats. so the colony
is not a nuisance.
The rats seem to know when IL is
time TO dine. Riley will take his lunch
basket and commence on his meal,
throwing a few crumbs near the rat
holes. He is teaching them TO come
out by a call, but as they usually seem
ready TO come out when work in the
shop ceases, 1t is hard to tell just how
much they are learning about the call.
After they have consumed their daily
meal I'm the box they will run up Mr.
Riley's legs and across his lap, bits OF
food being the rewards. The other
workmen have tried TO exert the same
influence over them. but all attempts
have been I'm vain. The rats only come
out for Riley. and the other workmen
can only stand off and look at the in.
teresting exhibition. They do not OBJ
ject If he strokes them or picks them
up. but the raising OF a hand by some
one else is the signal for a scatter.
ment
During the last week the rats have
! been shy Monday they would not
come out Tuesday two rash fellows
ventured a short distance from theil
holes Wednesday the colony woulc
| come out FOR food placed very near tho
| holes Thursday they ventured agaiT
10 the feet Of Riley. and yesterday they
| showed their old-time confidence. Rile.
was at a loss 10 explain the timidity OF
| his friends. but only a possible expla
| nation could be found. Last Sunday