The Hattiesburg news. (Hattiesburg, Miss.) 1908-1917, 1915-01-15
Bed Time Stories
For the Little
Folks
HOW MRS. MOUSE SAVED HER
FAMILY.

that she would take them out for a
walk and let them see the barn in
which they had hole in the floor,
but you must be very quiet she told
them, land keep close to me also, for
Mistress Pussy sometimes takes a nap
in the barn doorway in the afternoon
and she always sleeps with one eye
open"
The FIVE little mice danced about
with glee, for they had never been out
of the hole in which they lived and
they had heard wonderful tales of the
barn and the great bags of meal and
grain that was there.
IF you are not more quiet" said the
mother, you cannot go, for you will
attract attention by your squeaks, and
that is thing that well-bred mice
never do; if you wish to live in this
world you must be quiet and move
about with swiftness.''
The five little mice sat up in row
and folded their arms while their
mother washed their faces and they
did not squeak as they usually did,
but held still and let their mother rub
as hard as she liked.
When they were already she took
them to the hole and looked out very
cautiously. you must keep very close
to me-" she said, land if should run
you must scamper into this hole as
fast as you can, for you may know
that Mistress Pussy is in sight,
Eyes. mother, said the little mice,
and they followed her out. First she
took them to the bag of meal and
showed them how to knaw hole in
it so that it would not be seen and then
she showed them how to find the grain
land all the time you must keep a
sharp lookout for Pussy she said.
Just then Mrs. Mouse glanced to-
ward the door and there was Pussy
coming in. She could not get her lit
tie ones back to the hole without pass
ing Pussy, so she ran back of some
barrels and told the little ones to fol
low her.
Pussy walked around, as though
she had not seen them, but she sat
down right in front of the hole, where
they lived.
"She saw u.s." said Mrs Mouse.
"She is a sly one, but she is not any
wiser than am, and if we can keep
out of reach of her claws l think 1 can
fool her,"
Pussy was stretched out now as
though mouse was the farthest from
her thoughts, and she yawned as If
she could hardly keep awake"
But this did not fool Mrs. Mouse;
she well knew that the minute she
moved Pussy would spring for her like
a fash. H
when say run" she told the little
mice, do not wait to see where am,
but get into the hole IS quickly as you
can and keep away from the opening
after you get inside, for 1 shall have
to make bold dash. Now sit yer.
still till ] say run
Mrs. Mouse moved to the side of the
barrel where she knew Pussy could
see her, and then she ran up the side
of the barrel. Quick as a wink Puss
was up the side Of the barrel and into
it, and Mrs Mouse called to her little
ones run" and they did.
Now Pussy did not know what Mrs
Mouse did about that barrel, there was
a hole in the bottom of it, and as Puss
came over the top, Mrs. Mouse ran
out of the hole in the bottom and was
in her home before Pussy could wink
And that was not the worst of it, the
barrel was deep and the sides smooth
and Pussy could not get out until her
master came in to feed the horses
and heard the scratching.
Why are you in there?" he asked
as he lifted her out.
Puss looked foolish, and he laughed
when he saw the hole In the bottom
Fooled you that time, didn't they?"
lie said with laugh.
Pussy ran away for her supper, but
she made up her mind to give special
attention to that hole where the mouse |
family lived. and not be fooled sec
,nd time.