The new enterprise. (Madison, Fla.) 1901-1908, 1907-08-22
Cutey w ee.

Cutey Wee,
The closet under the stairs at the
end of the hall was dark and dusty.
1t was never used except to store
things not In use-or If the children
played Indian, when it served as te-
pee for the squaws.
If mother wanted to find anything
in the closet, she had to swing the
door far back, and even then 1t was
not very light, so it Is no wonder
that. in a shadowy corner, long after
winter things were put away till an
other season, one little warm red-lined
overshoe lay unseen and forgotten.
In front OF this overshoe a little
gray mouse stood one day in delight
ed surprise. | am sure she stood uk
on her hind feet and clapped her
front ones, and said, IF this isn't
just the place for Cutey Wee!"
Now Cutey Wee was a very much
petted and spoiled little mouse baby.
They had lived in the cellar; but the
nest was destroyed, and only little
Cutey Wee had been rescued. And
now, If Mrs. Mouse wasn't thinking
about her, Mr.. Mouse was, and they
would go from roof to cellar If Cutey
Wee gave her tiniest squeak.
So Mr.. Mouse was brought to the
closet to look at the little red-lined
overshoe, and of course he agreed with
Mrs. Mouse, and so the family moved.
which means only that Cutey Wee
was brought to the closet and dropped
into the overshoe.
Because of the elegance of this
new apartment, Mrs. Mouse began to
put on airs. She was not afraid OF
anybody, and she was interested in
everything. | saw her stand on her
hind feet in front of book after book
on the lowest bookshelf, looking up
at them, and | suppose she was think
ing of Cutey Wees going to school.
But the dollhouse attracted her
most. She studied over the little
chairs and swinging cradles, and |
wonder why she did not think of NOV
ing in there, for everything was just
the right size. But before little
wardrobe she stood fascinated, and
when she left the playhouse, she held
by her teeth a little white dress, only
two inches long, with blue bows on
the shoulders.
Look" she cried to Mr.. Mouse
when she got home, this is for Cut
ey Wee"
Do you suppose Cutey Wee put It
on, bows and ALL and sat there In
the little overshoe? Well, even II
she didn't, Mrs. Mouse knew it was
what the dolls had, and nothing was
too good for Cutey Wee.
Nor was that all. Whether Cutey
Wee squeaked, Mamma, must have
a hat" do not know, but Mrs.
Mouse brought her hats and caps and
coats and more dresses, all from the
dollhouse.
So Cutey Wee sat in the midst OF
her finery, more of a spoiled little
mouse than ever. Yet Mrs Mouse
looked at her little daughter anxious
ly.
I'm afraid Cutey Wee is lonely"
she thought. And as she searched
the pantry for crumbs, she kept won
dering what she could do.
That night she went back to the
playhouse, went up to a little chair
where a wee dolly sat, and catching
her dress in her mouth, carried her
down the side of the playhouse, away
across the floor, to the dusty closet
where Cutey Wee sat alone In the
little overshoe, and put her down be.
side her,
Did ever a Mrs. Mouse do such a
thing before? Did ever spoiled
mouse baby have such a gift brought
her? Or did ever little doll have
such an adventure?
Don't think / have made this all
up. No, indeed! | was little, little
girl then, and the dollhouse was mine.
And missed the little dresses, and
| | missed the little doll,i hnd no one
could understand the srsnge way IN
which they had disappeared. Then
one day the little redIIned overshoe
was found in the close9 and mother
! showed 1t to me.
| saw them there myself, all the
little clothes | had lost; and the little
doll Arabella. and ssittiihs : nv p
was Cutey Wee.-)
Little Folks
W ~