A Rat Yarn

Feilding Star, Volume XIII, Issue 31, 10 September 1891, Page 2

A Rat Yarn

As a proof of the danger attending the presence of rats in the house a Feilding resident had the following unpleasant • experience, Some time since, just before retiring to bed, a volumn of smoke was noticed issuing from above the ki chen mantleshelf. With some difficulty the fire was extinguished, and nothing more thought about the matter, the impression being it was caused by a faulty flue. Time went on, when day by day the lady of the house, while engaged in her culinary operations, was strongly impressed by a peculiar aroma being emitted from the region of the late incipient fire. To discover the cause the wall was pulled down, when the following gruesome sight was exposed to view. In the midst of a m s c lai.e >us collection of scraps, greas, rags etc., lay a largo, full grown rat, and by his side a box of matches one of which he had evidently struck and thus caused the fire. His body was scarcely singed, suffocation no doubt causing his untimely death. The cause of m;iny a fire might be traced to this source and the same evil agency. At the inquest on the body a verdict ot'feh de se wa> returned. It should be a warning 10 uouseiiolders not to allow these undesirable tenants lodging in their domiciles. A caution also to rats J as to the danger of Ivicifer matches in j lighting them to bed.