Evening Republican, Volume 23, Number 268, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 9 November 1920 — The STANDMAN STORY [ARTICLE+ILLUSTRATION]

The STANDMAN STORY

LESSON FOR MR. MOUS

ONE day Mrs. Mouse, who had three small babies, found an old ghoe which she a great deal of trouble to where she lived in the attic. “This will be the very thing for my babies to sleep in when I am away hunting for food,” she said to herself. Poor little Mrs. Mouse, she had a bard time of it, for her husband, Mr. Mouse, was a lazy fellow, never bringing home a thing, but always eating

everything he found in the house and never thinking of his wife and children. One day Mrs. Mouse tucked her thr,ee babies snugly in the shoe and told them to sleep until she returned. Mr. Mouse was asleep behind a box nearby, • and wnen he awoke he sniffed, for he smelt the leather shoe. He ran to the shoe and sniffed. “Not much taste,” he said, “but it will save my running out for my breakfast,” and so he went on nibbling. Nibble, nibble, nibble, went Mr. Mouse, and the first thing he knew he pulled, out the tall of one of his own children from the toe of the shoe. “Now what is that?” he said, look-

ing at it with sharp eyes, “I don’t like worms; I guess 1 will begin to eat on the other side.” Nibble,' nibble, nibble, he worked, and then he jujnped, for there was a tiny paw, and th'is.time he awoke the baby mice, who began to squeak. “Sqlieak, squeak!" cried the babies, “father is trying to eat us up.” And just that minute along came Mrs. Mouse. Long-suffering Mrs' Mouse had reached the end of her patience; she grabbed her husband by one ear and such a twist as she gave It. “You wretch!” she cried; “you would eat my babies, would you?” and she gave him a smart box on the other ear. This time he ran behind a box, where he sat trembling and frig 1 tened for lie had never before seen his little wife angry. Every time he came near her Mrs. Mouse ran at him, and after a while he gave it up and away he went. By and by, when the babies were asleep and Mrs. Mouse was getting ready to go out again, Mr. Mouse came tugging home a big piece of cheese and meekly laid it before bls w’lfe. He did not even -try to nibble it himself, but sat still and watched her eat, and when she had finished he said: “I know where there is plenty more, my dear; you stay at home after this and take care of the babies and I will bring home the food.” “And to think,” said Mrs. Mqusf as she sat alone later, “that all this time I could have made him work if I had not been so meek. I wish I had boxed his ears long ago.” (Copyright.)