The Washington times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1902-1939, 1904-01-10
Mr.. Bat and His
Little Family

IT HE house was large, with a high,
arched roof, and only one room.
and 1t was perfectly dark. for
there were no windows. Along
the walls were some irregular little
lodges, but there were no chairs or
tables, because the family did not need
any. No beds. either; and yet the
father and mother and two children
were sound asleep. and what s. more,
they thought their home a very nice
and comfortable one.
Perhaps you think they lay on the
floor. but indeed they did just the op-
posite; they hung from the roof with
thef- heads down.
These queer creatures slept ell day,
and at night went out to take the air,
for they were a family of bats and lived
in cave. Their bodies were covered
with very soft. short fur. but their
wings were quite bare-not feathered
like birds.
One evening the bat family were
Swimming about In the air, catching
mosquitoes and gnats for their upper,
when they happened TO fly IN among
some people who were having tea in a
garden The ladies jumped up and
screamed and put pocket handkerchiefs
over their hair, as If they thought the
bats meant to hurt them. Then a boy
ran around calling out BAT, bat, come
under my hatl'' But the little creatures
did not care to do that
Don't let them catch you" said AIr.
Bat TO his children, for they are
cruel"
One of the little ones. however, got
so confused that he few into the house
/ by mistake. and the boys rushed in
doors to catch ii. They could hear the
swishing sound Of its wings as II few
round and round near the ceiling, and
they tried to hit the helpless creature
with brooms and umbrellas. Faster ami
faster it circled in the dark hall. until
the boys grew dizzy. and one OF them
called out:
''oh, get lamp; we cannot see in the
darkr'
It seemed as If the bat understood
what was said. for as soon as the door
was opened it swooped down right into
the boys face. and with parting slap
few out over his head.
oh, how glad the bat was to find it.
self free once more in the fresh air. 1t
did not need any light, but went skim
ming about until it found it's family
again.
--Oh. my dear" said the mother, I
4 thought you were going to be killed
and Stuued ana put IN a toouSh cOllec-
toni Boys never seem to think that
animals like TO live and enjoy them
selves in their own way. We do not
hurt people, and yet they want TO kill
US"
THAT is because they know so little .
said Mr. Bat, who was conbing his fur
with his long claws. and keeping his
eyes open for mosquitoes at the SAINT
time. After he had swallowed a choice
morsei he said, wisely.
My children, you will often hear one
person call another as blind as q bat
yet we can see IN the dark, while they
have to wait for a light How much
better to be bat People tell all kinds
Of foolish tales about US. They =ay
. hair and that large bats will even Nil
children and suck their bIO0dp'
'-Oh. papa" cried the baby bats, why
do they tell such stories? We viii have
II nothing more TO do with them
That is the best plan, said the
mother Don't trouble your little heads
. about them. but come and have another
race before day dawns and ii IS time 20
J go to bedi'
each other merrily- over the lawns ard
sweet-scented flower beds. across the
/ ponds where frogs were croakng mu-
sicaliy, while mosquitoes danced In the
air. and before daybreak the bats were
, ! so tired that they stopped at the hrSs
hollow tree went into the trunk, hookse
| Themselves up by their hind legs. and
I folded their wings In a few minutes
their little black eyes closed and the
funny family went OF to sleep.