Ottumwa tri-weekly courier. [volume] (Ottumwa, Iowa) 1903-1916, 1916-06-24
A Country Mouse - By Ora
Laughlin of Selma

Dear Juniors:
thought would write a story aoout
two mice. There was once mouse tn"'
lived in the country.
His home was in barn where there
was plenty Of corn and oats ana wheat.
There was no cat or dog there ana you
know cows and horses never hurt mice.
This mouse had friend that llVed III
the city. One fall the country mouse
sent the city mouse an lnVltatlon "
come out and eat Thanksgiving dinner
with him OF course the city city mouse
came. They had nice fat kernels OF corn
and oats and wheat to eat, ana there
was also a little bacon that mad been
hung in the barn. The country mouse
thought that it was a fine dinner. The
city mouse tried to eat 1t. but ne could
not help thinking about the nice things
that he would have had in the city. AT,
er dinner the city mouse SAID. Clu
friend. l must have talk with you. DO
you know that you live an ants life out
here in the country? I do not see now
YOU can bear to live this poor life in
this old barn. Why not come with me
to the CITY where you will have all sorts
Of good thingst to eat and a gay time!
You are really wasting your life in this
quiet place. Come up to visit me ana
will show you how fine the city is Come
and take Christmas dinner with me,
and I will show you dinner worm
ca ting. Why. we have cheese. ana
bread and turkey and cake and candy
I'll come" said the country mouse. You
must live well. think that I should
like to live in the city. If you lived IN
the city you would be as fat as I am
in a few weeks" said the city mouse.
Just see how fat am"
When Christmas came the country
mouse was on hand at the big brick
house in the city where his friend lived:
What a warm house you have said
the country mouse. II can hardly
breathe in here"
TT is never cold here" said the city
mice that live in warm houses
never get thin"
Where do you keep all those nice
things to eat that you told me ABOUT!
asked the country mouse
They're in the pantry. but we can't go
in there now The cook is In there SAID
the city mouse.
We'll what of herr"
You won't ask such questions when
yon have been here little longer"
LET us go down cellar" said the |
country mouse. "Oh, we can't go there |
now" said the city mouse, 1.-The cat is in
the cellar now.
1.-THE cat. What is a cat?''
"Ho no no! ha ha ha! you don't know
m"ch do vou?" laughed the city mouse,
"don't l-now what cat is! Why. cat
is an animal that lives for nothing In
the world but to catch mice
"Oh dear I think that this is very |
DANGEROUS place.
Pvt YOU lust wait until we get some
Of thet turkey dinner" said the city
mouse. They waited until night. The
country mouse got very hungry. but
the city mouse said it wasn't safe to go
mt until every one had gone. At last
they creep into the dining room. They
were both very hungry and they jump
I'd rp on the table. How good every
thin@ did look and what a feast they
door opened. Mice" cried bow:
here Gyp: mice!" How the mice did
run. The little dog nearly bit off the
mouses tail 1t scared him so
he thought he would die Of fright. 0
dear, 7 don't see how you can live here
said the country mouse
well. we will now go into the
said the city mouse No one
will be coming in there tonight"
So they went into the pantry and
hey found many nice things to eat
ginning to forget his fright when sud-
lenly something went snap. The coun-
ry mouse jumped nearly out Of his
skin "What in the world was that?" he
,ricd. only a trap" said the city
mouse. "You must look out for such
hings; before YOU know it you will get
'anght." The country mouse sat still.
lis little heart was beating wildly. But
ust as soon as he was able to speak he
aid well if this is. city life have
cen enough Of It, STAY in this fine
,lace If you like. but I shall be only
90 glad to get bac elk to my quiet home
n the old barn and to my plain corn
'ats and wheat. A grain Of corn in
afety Is better than fine cakes in fear"
Ora Laughin.