The Bon Homme County independent. [volume] (Tabor, S.D.) 1904-1913, 1912-01-25
Maooie's Very Own Secret.

Sara Josephine Albright, in st. Nicholas.
Mr.. and Mrs. Squeaky were two little,
gray mice. They lived away back In the
corner of a great. big. empty box In the
| cellar.
One morning Mr.. Squeaky went I'D the
cellar stairs on tiptoe, to hunt for some
bread and cheese in the kitchen.
All at once he heard some one talking,
and he hid behind the broom and was as
still as he could be.
1t was the little boy Johnnie, who lived
upstairs. He had a big hammer and a
saw in his hand, and he was talking to
his little sister.
81 think that big, empty box down cellar
would make a fine dolls house, Maggie. L
can fix a little porch on it, and make an
upstairs and a downstairs" the little boy
said.
''Oh, Johnnie, that will be lovely" his
little sister said. 'Tl do something for
you sometime. Maybe-maybe-I'n draw a
whole slate full of elephants, for you to
look att"
Then they started down the cellar steps.
MI. Squeaky was so frightened that he
almost tumbled down the stairs.
'Oh, my DEAR" he whispered. they are
going to break up our house with a big
hammer and a saw, and make a dolls
house out of it! Let's run as fast as we
cant
o't ~ 80 eRS""y = ~
Where shall we go?" she whispered.
Oh, / am so afraid, and there are always
those dreadful traps around to catch us!'
But they ran as fast as they could to
the darkest corner. Mrs. Squeaky's sharp
little eyes saw a hole, and she ran into it,
and Mr.. Squeaky squeezed in after her.
Now where do you think they found
themselves? Right inside OF an old shoe!
The hole that they came through was just
a hole in the shoe and made a nice little
door. And there was another hole a little
higher up that made a nice little window
70 peep out Of.
why, this is the dearest little house,
so cozy and warm" Mrs. Squeaky said.
Nobody will ever find US in here, !
know"
After they lived there a while, a who
family Of little pink baby mice came to
live With them. The papa mouse and the
mama mouse were so proud and so glad,
they got little bits of cotton and soft paper
and rags, n made the incest little beds
you ever saw.
The little pink BABY mice could only say,
Squeak! Squeak and cuddle up under
the warm covers, but Mr.. and Mrs.
Squeaky laughed, and thought they were
the smartest babies In the whole world.
WHY. i feel like The Old Woman Who
Lived IN the Shoe and had SO many chill
dren she didn't know what to do" Mrs.
Squeaky said one day. She was sitting by
the little window rocking the baby mouse
and taking a little rest.
Mr.. SQueaky had gone out to hunt for
some upper, and the four other little mice
were peeping out of the little hole in the
toe of their shoe house. for papa to come
home.
All at once, Maggie, the little girl who
lived upstairs, ran into the dark corner to
hide from Johnnie. just for fun. And what
do you think she saw?
The four little mice peeping out Of the
door. and the poor, frightened mama
mouse and the little baby at the window.
Maggie stopped just a minute to whisper
gently to little, gray Mrs. Squeaky. Don't
be frightened, Little Old Woman Who
Lives in the Shoe I'll never, never tell
anybody where you live. No, 1 won't even
tell Johnnie or my kitty. They might try
to catch you. 1t shall be my very w Sc
cret-and yours!"
So nobody but little Maggie ever knew
about Mr.. and Mrs. Squeaky, and their
little pink babies in the old s%hoe-until
long afterward. when she told me the
story. as l have told it to you.