Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 153, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 25 June 1920 — The SANDMAN STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The SANDMAN STORY

MB. MOUSE & MR. FBOG ONE day Mr. Mouse, who had been driven from the barn where he Oved by Mrs. Tabby and her family, ran across the road to the meadow and wandered down by the pond. “I may as welt jump in and drown myself,” said Mr. Mouse, feeling very sad and discouraged. “There is no place I go where that cat does not follow me," . , “What is the matter, my friend, that you seem so sad?” asked Mr. Frog,

who sat on a log not far away, and heard all that Mr. Mouse bad said. “Why need you drown just because you jump into the water? I live in this pondfeand I do not drown.” Mr. Mduse, now that he had a willing listener, told Mr. Frog all his troubles. “I just eat grain and meal and things in the barn—just a little; and why that cat should be so disagreeable and unfriendly . I can’t understand,” he said. “She cannot eat those things,” said Mr. Mouse, “so why she bothers me I cannot see. Does she ever come here and try to drive you out of the pond?” “Never,” said Mr. Frog. “I have my troubles with the boys, who try to stone me, but 1 can always escape by jumping in the pond; and Mr. Dog barks at me when I come out on this log sometimes, but he cannot get me. So I just let him bark. It is very tunny to see him, too, so I just laugh to myself and stay here as long as I like. Why don’t you come here to live? I feel quite sure if you would live on bugs and water and mud and such things no one would bother you.” “But suppose I can’t get out if I jump in your pond,” said Mr. Mouse, “and maybe I. should not like your home. I do not feel at all sure I could live on the things you spoke of.” “Come with me for a visit,” said Mr. Frog. “I’U take you down. If you don’t like it I will bring you right back.” “How will you manage that?” asked Mr. Mouse. - “You get on my back and cling tightly, and if you don’t like it when I go under the water you just pinch

a little and I’ll come right up,” said Mr. Frog. It wasn’t a second before he was back again, and Mr. Mouse rolled off on the ground, choking and gasping for breath. “Why, you did not even get to the bottom of the pond. You pinched almost as soon as we started,” said Mr. Frog. “I know I did. I knew at once that I should never like the water for a home.” “I can’t see why,” said Mr. Frog, blinking. “There are no cats here and plenty to eat.” “There may be no cats, but there are worse things than cats, I have found,” said Mr. Mouse. Why, that water would kill me. I can run away from Puss if I look sharp, but I could not run away from the water, and as for seeing, how can I see with my eyes full of water? “No, thank you, Mr. Frog; I guess I will run back to the barn and take another chance with Mrs. Tabby.” “What funny folks there are in this world,” said Mr. Frog, as he watched Mr. Mouse out of sight. “He’d rather live in a barn than in the water. Well, well.” (Copyright.)