The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1908-12-30
Women are naturally afraid of rats

y
Women are naturally afraid OF rats.
1t is an established fact that n
woman who will fly right in the face
of death by wearing tight corsets,
thin-soled shoes, or otherwise violat-
Ing the laws of nature and common
sense, will scream at the top of her
lungs, If she does not so off into con-
vulsions or fit of Mysteries, at the
sight OF common sized rat.
Mrs. Harry Brown, being a woman,
and withal an exceedingly pretty one,
shared the common terror-indeed,
had rather more than her share of 1t.
One night there was company at
Mr.. Harry Browns, and when the
family retired the hour was quite
late. Mr.. Brown, with mans easy
forgetfulness, soon slept the sleep Of
the just; but his wife tossed restless
at his side, and longed in vain to imi-
tate his example.
At length, however, she settled
down, and was just dropping into a
comfortable doze, when her attention
was attracted by a faint sound, like
the dripping of water upon some hard
substance.
What could it be? Mrs. Browns
heart began to beat fast, but she
raised upon her dimpled elbow and
listened. Drip, drip, drip! Drip,
drip, drip Slowly and steadily the
sound came through the stiffness.
Something was evidently wrong,
Mrs. Brown grasped her liege lord
by the shoulder, and gave him a gen.
tie shake.
Harry, Harry! wake up! Some
thing is the matter!"
Harry turned over, gave rather
unmusical grunt, and subsidized again.
Mrs. Brown repeated the shake.
Harry! Harry! l say! Wake up!
wake up!"
Mr.. Brown half opened his eyes,
and yielding to Mary's pushes, sat up
In the bed.
"Eh? What's up? What's to pay,
Mary?" he asked.
II don't know. Somebody getting
In the house, or something. 1t
sounds like water dropping.
Robbers getting in the house
wouldn't sound like water drop
ping" said Mr.. Brown. you're al
ways getting scared at nothing"
"Tm not! And it is something!"
Indignantly responded Mrs. Brown.
CT I.
Mr.. Brown listened, and did hear
very plainly.
ITS the water-pipe. There's
leak somewhere" he presently de-
cided. 1T has to be stopped, too"
So he tumbled out of bed and started
In pursuit.
Mrs. Brown, not daring to be left
alone, got up, too, and followed him.
And to protect her shoulders from the
night air, she caught up Mr.. Browns
dressing-gown, which hung on
chair at the bedside, and threw it
around her.
This dressing-gown was very
handsome affair, which Mrs. Mary,
with wifely affection, had made and
carefully ornamented with her own
pretty fingers. At the waist she had
sewed a long silken cord, with soft,
heavy tassels, and as her stature was
something less than that of her tall
husband, when she walked these tas-
sells dragged on the floor at her bare
feet.
The leak, being diligently sought
for, was at length discovered in the
bathroom, and proceeded from moth
ing worse than one of the faucets Of
the water-pipe being left slightly
open.
OF course, it was only the work of
a single instant to turn the faucet and
stop the leak, and having done this,
Mr.. Brown turned to renew his slum-
bers, followed by his devoted wife.
But scarcely had Mrs. Brown taken
single step, when she set her little
foot plump down upon one of the
soft, yielding tassels of the dressing
gown, and instantly the bathroom re-
sounded with succession of piercing
shrieks bursting upon the appalled,
ears Of Mr.. Brown, and freezing the
blood in his veins.
MARY! Maryl what is the matter?p
he cried, running to Mrs. Brown, who
had fed in terror to the farthest cor
ner of the bathroom.
"Oh! It's rat It's a rat, Harry!
i stepped right on it! Oh, mercy
mercy! Do kill 1t, Mr.. Brown. do
kill it,"
Where! where is It! Show it to
me! I'll fix him!" bravely cried Mr..
Brown, catching up stick which lay
upon the window-sill, and brandish-
ing it above his head with savage
air.
"Oh. he's herel he's here! He
followed me right into the corner!
Oh! look. Harry! lookl Here 1t is: /"