Evening star., 1947-12-25
This and That
BIZ Charles E. TruceUeI

AS innocent a creature as lives is the field
mouse
So when the driver caught sight of something
out of the corner of his eye, he was not in the
least alarmed sH IS
He knew what 1t was running there. and
since he had the love of the country in his
heart, he simply smiled.
The mouse had somehow gotten into his car
and there it was running along the ledge OF
the door.
The driver did not shrink or slap at the
creature
He just Grew over to the side of the road and
permitted the little one to scurry to safety.
The mouse had come in through his overcoat
pocket; he had the coat over rail, for time
and the creature had sought safety there.
Once inside the car the rodent had realized
that this was not his world.
No doubt he was vastly relieved when he was
let out.
The innocent field mouse is different from
the common or house mouse.
It is a cleaner animal without the stigma Of
household mice and rats.
It is true that sometimes the field mouse
comes inside Many persons think he never
does. but he is easily confused with the COM
mon mouse.
He often takes on the protective coloration
of his environment
Thus in cold lands he may become almost
white when there is snow on the ground most
Of the time.
Or in fields of grain he becomes the color Of
the prevailing crop.
His habits are much like those of the Creep
ing rodents that have been pictured as the
bane and dread of the average woman.
The fact is that many women are no more
afraid of mice than they are of motor cars.
There are plenty of women and girls who
reach into wastepaper basket to seize mouse
by the back of the neck.
We can recall one such office girl. a pretty
blond, who retrieved mouse-shall we call it
an Office mouse?-and put it into a cardboard
box for presentation to an ex-Marine.
The hardy former soldier was not exactly
afraid Che swore to it, but still he only partly
lifted the lid.
The field mouse is hoarder of food.
He Is supposed to take great toll of crops
and no doubt in some countries in certain
emergencies he might be suspected of being
a saboteur.
On the whole, however. he is good fellow
He has pretty, bright coloration; his ap-
pearance is more of the out-of-doors than
that of our common mice.
In every case one Is found outdoors. he
should be guided out, if possible, rather than
trapped, since he offers none of the dangers
of ordinary rodents.
1t must be kept in mind that he has had
so much fresh air rustled over his pretty
fur that he fairly exudes ozone when he comes
indoors.
The word innocent, when applied to wild
creatures, means freedom from conscious
thought of doing harm
With humans. the word still means, at
least in the popular Imagination, freedom from
sexual knowledge. =.
In a true sense, all the wood animals are
innocent. That Is why SHINING humans may
admire them.
In this sense, all persons of kindly heart
will pause to shed tear for little Reddy.
1-year-old cat who lost his life recently at
the tire Of a motor car.
No doubt the person who ran over his
head crushing it, did not mean to do so.
Nothing could have been farther from his
or her desire, no doubt.
The point is that no pains were taken not
to run over this innocent creature The
slaughter of the innotents has taken on new
meaning today. Hour after hour birds, dogs,
cats. skunks, rabbits and many others are
needlessly killed. It has been estimated that
near some of our great cities, more birds are
killed BY cars than by any other means.