Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1900-09-25

There vas nothing. for Il bat mouse
trap. They had stoed the pest Of mice
as long a patience allowed. The jauitor
had been appealed 70 In vain. He had
made one or two Intellectual attempts to
abste the pest, but % the agent OF the
buildine. would not allow him TO use
poison for fear the victims would have
the bad taste TO die on the premises, and
because there was no appropriation TOT
mouse traps forthcoming from the man
OF leases, the head Of the family, spurred
on BY the protestations Of bis wife, went
out 70 hardware store and called for
the needed article. He had supposed
that buying mousetrap Was . simple
thing, bat when be saw the number OF
patterns he Was bewildered.
"Do you want to catch them alivey'
asked the clerk.
swell, 1 should say did. II wanted
to catch them dead you don't suppose !
would require trap, do your" replied
the head Of the family.
VI mean" explained the clerk, "do
you want trap that will kill them"
''Of course do. l am not collecting
mice for exhibition purposes"
He selected . small steel cage OF the
ordinary garrote pattern, for which he
paid fifteen cents. That night he showed
It to his wife and they proceeded to
Get II.
"what shall we bait It WITH" ne
asked.
"Do we have to bait it?"
"Oh, no. You catch mice by sending
ska.~ - In I'll ffnn
"Oh, suppose It ought to be some
thing nice and tempting"
ayes, lobster q Ia Newburg."
"Oh. George, believe you're teasing
me. What do they like mosty'
''Cheese, you sweet ninny!"
.'Of course. How stupid of me. But
we haven't bit Of Roquefort In the
house."
"My dear, II We had Roquefort we
wouldn't need the trap. The cheese
would kill them"
"Just plain American cheeses"
"0f course! These are just plain
American mice. You might make Z
Welsh rarebIt for them. That would
certainly do the business"
She got morsel OF cheese, and the
trap, after many trials, was baited and
set.
That night mouse was caught, but
Isabel tainted At the sight Of the dead
victim and George was obliged to give
the trap away TO the jsnitor In order to
save her nerves.
The next day he brought home trap
Of another pattern. II WAS baited with
cheese, but the mouse was not killed by
It's captivity. After II had eaten the
cheese and taken cafe noir and smoked
cigar, II found that the only open door
led to rotary cylinder Of steel wire-s
sort OF smoking room. That Is where
they found Mr.. Mouse the next morning.
He was padding around In the treadmill
under the impression thst he was rapidly
getting away from the scene Of bis cap
tivity. Isabel clapped her hands at the
sight.
"Isnt he too cunning for anything
But what shall we do with hlmg'
1--WE might give him to the baby to
play with" said the unfeeling brute.
"Or we could attach the cage TO the
sewing machine and get the benefit OF
his energy. We will drown him, OF
course"
Isabel hid her face 10 her hands.
"ln the lake, Georgey'
"Yes. / see myself walking three
blocks to drown q mouse In the lake.
No. In the bathtub."
George Harrison, II you drown that
poor little helpless mouse In my bath
tub I'll never"
"Bathe sgain?" finished her husband.
"Oh, yes. you will" And of he started
with the trap for the bathroom. When
he had accomplished his helHsh design
he gave the trap and It's dead contents
TO the janitor and returned to his wife.
"Dld-did It suffer much?" asked lsa-
bel.
ats death sgonies were very distress
log. and shall never get Its last words
out Of my ears. l."
you're \ brute" said Isabel, and
she fiounced out of the room.-Chicago
Chronicle.