Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1910-03-17
dsown Thursday, March
The Capives.

=
Mice had been seen in the pantry. and
that evening Harry and Ruth watched
with much eagerness the batting and set
ting of the trap.
1t was not one of those little traps that
shut down quickly and choke the mouse,
but a Dig wire cage. which must seem to
mouse like large, airy room. Father
cut off a piece of cheese that was hard
and would not break easily, and after
toasting it a few minutes over The fire,
fixed it firmly on the little wire hook that
hung down from the roof OF the cage.
Then the big door at one end was fasten-
ed so that it would stay wide open. Any
mouse that smelled that lovely toasted
cheese would walk right in and help him
self but just as soon as he stood up on
his hind legs and began to nibbIe at the
cheese, bang would go the door behind
him, and he would find himself shut in
tight.
The next morning Harry was the first
one up. He walked Ruth, and together
they crept quietly downstairs and to the
pantry before Mary, the maid, was out OF
bed.
AS they pushed open the pantry door.
they saw something which made them
both cry out in wonder. The door OF the
wire cage was closed, and inside was,
not one mouse, but seven.
There was one big mouse, and cuddled
close up to her were six small mice
children that had followed the mother in
to the cage. She had not even nibbled
the cheese until they were all safely in
side.
Strangest of all, the little family was
curled up in beautiful nest, made Of bits
of paper and small pieces Of string and
hairs and few small rags, all nicely
woven together into little round bed, as
soft and warm as any one could wish.
Where could that nest have come from?
When the trap was set the night before
there had not been anything in it but the
piece Of cheese, that was now half-eaten.
Not even the little baby mice could get
out. Who could have brought in the
things the nest was made of? The chill
dren could not tell. After breakfast Mr.
Arnold said he was going to try to find
out
He first took the cage back to the pantry
and set if down on the floor. just where
it had been all night. He left the pantry
door open little way, and placing
chair outside, in the kitchen, he sat down
where he could see the cage all the time;
and he told Harry that il he would prom
ise not to move once, or even to whis-
per, he could stay with him.
For long time they saw nothing ex-
cept the mother mouse and her babies in
the trap. Then all at once small gray
shadow crept out from corner and ran
to the cage. II was another mouse and
in his mouth he carried a little rag.
When he reached the cage there was
great squealing. He stood up on his
hind legs and pushed the rag through the
bars, and the mouse inside ran over to
him and took the rag and ran back TO her
nest and patted the rag into place in the
wall.
Three times he came. The second
time he brought little bit of cotton, and
afterward small piece OF string; and all
these things the mother mouse took when
he pushed them into the cage. and used
them to make the nest warmer.
"Now, children" Mr.. Arnold said,
"what shall we DO with this family OF
mice? We can't have them running
round in the pantry, eating and solling
our food"
80 father, know what should like to
do with them," said Harry. al should
like to take them away off somewhere
in the woods, and let them 60"
And that was what they did. The cage
was taken to a sunny place at the far end
OF the garden. There the door was OPEN
ed and the children went away. When
they came back the cage was empty.
Mrs. Mouse had moved her little family |
to the country.