The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1898-10-08
Some Educated Mice.
From the Memnhis Com rercial Anne

From the Memphis Com mercial Appeal.
Col. Cole, who is the presiding genius of
the Courthouse Library, is a remarkable
man. Col Cole has fought Indians iii the
canyons of the West, he has followed mar
row trails over the Rockies has hunted
the bison and buffalo on the broad nd roll
ing plains of Colorado, has PANIED gold in
Montana mountain streams and has led a
command In the land OF the Montezumas
But Col. Cole is not lonesome in his
present prosaic quarters, nor does he mind
the gloomy surroundings and their accom-
panying mold. He has friends. Small, in
teresting, vivaoious, piquant pets. They
know him and he has fatherly regard for
their welfare. These friends are the mice.
These mice have taken advantage of the
cracks and crannies in the court house
and have established well-populated COLO
MES, which seem to flourish, though on
what they subsist Is a mystery. II is the
family that Col. Cole has taken under his
fGtherly protection. They possess a rare
quality of intelligence and know the hours
of the day as well as the clock ia the
Methodist church a block away. In several
places the flooring has been cut, leaving
small holes and 10 and from these the
mice pass all day, walking and running
about with no seeming fear. When Coz.
Cole first arrives in the morning he gives
these mice their breakfast. He has pecu-
liar way of calling them, and az the first
sound of his voice they scamper 70 the
small openings ia the floor, protrude their
smooth, neat locking heads in inquiring
way and then saunter out and gather in a
circle about his feet
After this their preceptor breaks a bis
cult and divides 1t among them. They eat
with nice discrimination and with much
more regard for etiquette than a great
many people, and after finishing a meal
brush the crumbs out of their delicate
J. felyo xzrftE ME afaH
Col. Cole feeds these mice a. regular in
tervals during the day, and they know
Just when the feeding time comes. When
at noon the librarian eats his lunch the
members of his family are given an elabo-
rate repast. Sometimes it is not conven-
lent 10 eat this lunch at noon and Col.
Cole defers the important duty. On such
occasions the mice become restless and
climb up the table legs and upon the coat
and shoulders of the man who withholds
their dinner Col Cole does not object
10 this and they climb up his legs, and
he will push them off in good-natured
way and open his lunch.
There is in the office of the librarian a
dilapidated dictionary holder of antiquat-
ed pattern and decrepit undergraduates
Taking a small fragment of biscuit Col
Cole ties about IL a piece of ordinary
wrapping cord and suspends IL about three
inches above the floor, attaching the
other end to the stand above mentioned.
This is a signal of play, and the tribe
make running jumps for the bread. 1t is
a little too high and the highest jumper
can Just touch the bread with his nose.
They run about the stand fight each
other and roll over like kittens enjoying
a romp, and to end ID all a motherly old
mouse climbs to the top of the stand and,
taking the string between her two front
feet, deftly draws the bread up, much af-
ter the fashion OF drawing a bucket OF wa
ter from a wei. When the bread Is
reached she break 1t from the string ana
lets il fall The hungry family below
soon dispose Of it and again retire TO the
silence OF their homes beneath the floor.