Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-07-01
he Nice New House
= of Mr.. and Mrs.
Mouse
Minnie L. JIpton.)


Dickie. my dear, do come here" CALI
ed Mrs. Mouse. excitedly. E
81 Mr.. and Mrs. Mouse were looking
around for new house which Tabftha
Catcf1emquick could not find so easily
as she could their old one in the gran
airy. They were determined to fool Tab
itha this time
Mr.. Mouse had Jagged behind to do
little looking all by himself. and he was
not quite ready to come; so he called
back. Shall l come right away, or just
any day." ls.
Come right away, and do not stay"
answered Mrs. Mouse. very decidedly.
Here's something that we have been
longing to See
So. Mr.. Mouse called back, IN come
IN trice, as quick as three mice!"
When he reached the side ~of Mrs.
Mouse he was glad he had hurried; for
she had found beautiful new knot
hole. low down in the door of a store
chamber where Tabitha Catchemquick
could not come. The knot had Just fall
en- out and rolled down the stairs. i
Said Mr.. Mouse: What wonderful
luck! Debby dear. you're duck I'll go
In at once. or I'd be a great Ounce"
Mr.. Mouse CALAMITY led his bright
eyed Debby through first. and then
followed so quickly that he reached the
floor at almost the same time that she
did. 80
Mrs. Mouse Strengthened up first, and
looked around. The chamber was full Of
such a number Of things. There was an
old spinning wheel, and an old melod
con, and number of chairs, and three
funny old trunks. and-but these things
did not interest Mrs. Mouse. The thing
that made her eyes sparkle was on the
| floor in corner. 1t was big. and round,
and yellow.
"A pumpkin. Dick! Oh. come quick!"
! she cried joyfully. Then they both
scampered toward it, for they were very
fond of pumpkins.
But, alas! Though this looked such a
bright. fresh yellow. it seemed to be
and dry! To tell you the tr'Itf-which
Mr. and Mrs. Mouse never found out
1t was just big Halloween Jack 30
lantern, made of a sort of pastehcard
| called papier mache "'he ewes and
teeth were gone, leaving great holes;
but that side had been rc-t ne wall,
so they had not seen it at first.
What Mr.. and Mrs. Ncuse DID find
out was that it was not ~ccG TO cat.
Just very few bites told 'he-1 that. It
4 was most disappointing. Eut in mo-
ment Mrs. Mouse frightened UP. .
| Never mind, Dickie petN We know
where to get plenty of food that's
healthful and good! This will evthe
best house ever was for mouse!
4 There'lf be no draughts at all; and the
children can't fall!'
"That Is true! Good for you." Shout
ed Mr.. Mouse. .r .sF .-s-
! They soon found some excelsior in q
box. and some cotton wadding in bag;
and in the shortest time possible they
had their little new house fixed up COM
Portable! When the little Mouse chill
dren came, soon afterward. they were
just as coy as could be.
! When they were large enough to play
hide and-seek through the eyes and
fun than they knew what to do with.
i Truly, they did.
I That was what they were doing one
day when Jimmy, the boy who owned
the Jack o:lantern, came up to get
some fishing tackle. He had on rubber
I soled Shoes and they did not hear him
as they were used to hearing people
walking about down benea tn them
Jimmy heard the funny little squeak
ing, and so, before opening the door, he
peeped through the knot hole. Then he
went and called his mother. and she
came up softly. and peeped too. THE
dear little things!" she said.
"Oh mother, let's not tell Tabitha
Catchemquick about them! They're sc
=, happy" cried Jimmy.
So Mr.. and Mrs. Dickie Mouse rails.
ed their family in peace and safety. and
they never knew how often Jimmy ant
his mother came up to peep through the
knot-hole to watch the children playing
side and-seek. ~5