The Wichita daily eagle. [volume] (Wichita, Kan.) 1890-1906, 1902-09-26
HER WAY OUT OF 1T.
Story of a Mouse, d Cat, a Young
Woman and a Man.

Woman and a Man.
This incident occurred in Washington
not very long ago.
A young man was calling upon the girl
to whom he was engaged. The couple
were sitting on the front steps of the
girls home. an hour or so before the
fail or darkness, when they noticed the
cat attached Il the household of the
girls family going down the steps lead
ing to the basement area with a tiny
field mouse in its mouth. The cat had
caught the mouse in the vacant lot along
side the house.
Dropping the tiny mouse over in
corner Of the area, the cat proceeded 20
torture The little animal after the ac-
cepted feline fashion.
She would permit the mouse to run
away about yard or SO, pretending that
she didn't know that there was mouse
within miles, and then she would jump
out, nail the mouse with her foot, and
tess it back to the corner.
Then she would pick the mouse up in
10th of her paws, throw it in the air,
end when il came down and started to
run. nail it again The tiny mouse would
squeeze ttself into the corner and sit up
and look at the cat pitifully, and then
the cat would swipe It out Of the corner
with her paw and step GA il, her eyes
blazing ecstatically and her tail swish
ing. Some natural historians say that
there is no animal so atrociously and
gloaungly cruel as the ordinary. purring.
6omesticated cat.
That mouse said the young fellow to
the girl To whom he was engaged, lis
crly a youngster yet. Strikes me he
ought TO have chance for his white
alley
oh don't know said the girl. who,
with her chin in her hands was dream
ily and fascinating regarding the spec
tacle OF the mouse being tortured by the
cat
Don't YOU think it horrible TO see the
poor little beggar getting the worst OF
il that way" he asked the gir. with
a slight surprise in his tone.
She made no reply but. stli with her
chin resting in her hands. gazed calmly
al the cat tossing the diminutive mouse
into the air, and stepping on it. ana
dabbing at it with her paws. and pick
ing it up in her mouth and throwing it
down again.
Mice get into the house. said The girl.
after a while.
But that kind don't" said the young
man. bit earnestly. That's "a field
mouse and field mice don't bother any
body
The mouse was sitting up in the area
corner. with its tiny forepaws folded in
front in a very pleading attitude while
the cat gazed with expanding eyes az It
before beginning to dab at IT again.
I'm going 10 give that mouse a run
for its taw marble. said the Xoung man.
getting up from the steps and starting
down the area steps
Let the cat alone said the sirl quiet
ly but never removing her gaze from the
sicht OF tho tortured mouse.
The young man stopped suddenly and
locked up at the girl
II want 10 give the mouse a chance 10
set away he said surely you don't
md enjoyment in watching a poor little
beast setting handled that way
"You don't have 10 look az IL II YOU
Aen want zoe S4s4 re SIN Win e csF-
tain hardness in her tone. Let the
cat alone
The young fellow gazed steadily nj her
for half a minute. but she dida ap-
pear 70 notice this. she was too inteut
mon the devutry OF the cat
After twenty minutes of torturing its
prey. in the course ~ which il broke
tho houses leg. 50 that tno tiny rodent
could only hobblo in lis efforts 10 run
away. the cat ate the mouse. The gjri
never took her eyes from The Get untl
the ca; had finished is prey. Thea she
gave "a sort OF satisfied sigh IS she cners-
ee from her fascinated trance.
We'll the eat has had her supper she
said. in = msttsr-os-fsct tone % her
aance-
Good night" he said 70 her. and he
tipped his hat to her and walked down
the street without booking hack
This happened two uionths aso. The
ycuns fellow hasn't called upon her
since. There is going to DC 70 marriage.
Washington star.