Rensselaer Republican, Volume 15, Number 26, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 8 March 1883 — Neal Dow’s Rat Story. [ARTICLE]

Neal Dow’s Rat Story.

Communication to the Boaton Congregationaliet. My house is supposed to be a rat-roof, and was so when quitqjiew, but. at one time, more than twenty years ago, we had a largo colony of the rodens, greatly to our annoyance, and it was with us a matter of daily wonder where they found a weak spot in our defenses against them One evening a young lady from a friend’s family, iiving in a large, fine house nearly a mile away, was with us, and the talk turned on rats as we heard ours gallopingin the ceilings and scampering up and down the walls. The young lady said that none had ever been in their house and she did not think there was any point at which they eould enter. My eldest daughter, a great wit, said:g‘Tve heard that if politely invited to do so in writing, rats will leave any house and go to any other house to which they may be directed, and I will tell ours that at your house they will find spacious quarters and an excellent commisariai” At the moment, before us all, she wrote a most grandiloquent letter to the large family’jof rats that had so long favored us with theipresence, pointing out to them that at No. 6 Pearl street was a large, fine phouse which had never been lavored with the presence of any of their family, where they would find ample quarters and a fat larder. When finished she read the missive to the company, and we had a great laugh over it. As an old superstition she then put lard upon it, and carried it into the attic, where it would probably be found by to whom it was directed. A few days after the young lady was at our house again, and burst into a laugh, exclaiming: “Our house has been overrun with rate!” That recalled to us the fact thaf we had heard none in our walls. My daughter want 13 the attic, and the letter was gone While we were talking and laughing over the curious affair a friend came in, and hearing the talk said that two evenings before, in the bright moonlight, he saw several rate running down Congress street We have never been troubled with them since, but I have not heard how it has been with the house to which our beneficiaries were directed.