OUR YOUNG FOLKS

Manawatu Herald, 23 April 1904, Page 4

OUR YOUNG FOLKS

THE CONCEITED MOUSE. A Lively Xalo From St. Nicholas, In Which a Moral May Be Found, if Wanted. Onco upon a time there was a very small mouse with a very, very largo opinion of himself. What ho didn’t know his grandmother couldn’t toll him. “ You'd better keep a bright cyo in your head Lhe.io days," said sho ono chilly afternoon. “Your gran’thor has smelled a trap.” “Scatl” answered the small mouse, “’s if I don’t know a trap when I see Itl” And that was all the thanks she got for her good advice. “Go your own way, for you will go no other," the wise old mouse said to herself)

“yotjb gran’ther has smelled a trap.” and she scratched her nose slowly and sadly as sho watched her grandson scamper up the cellar stairs. “Ah,” sniffed ho, poking his whiskers into a crack of the dining room cupboard, “cheese, ns I'm alive!” Scuttle, scuttle. “I’ll bo squizzled if It Isn’t that ounnlag little housel I know what that is—a choosehouso, of course! What a very snug hall! That’s the way with cheesehouses. I know, ’cause I’ve heard the dairymaid talk about ’em. It must be rather inconvenient, though, to carry milk up that step ami through an iron door. 1 know why It’s so open—to let Ih fresh a Sr. I toll you that choose Is goodl Kind of • reception room in there. I guess I know a reception room from a hole In the wall. No trouble at all about getting in either. Wouldn’t grandmother open her eyes to see mo hotel Guess I’ll take another nibble at that cheese and go out. What’s that noise? What in squeaks is the matter with the door? This Is a oheesehouse, I know it Is, but what if it should turn out to bo a— O-o-o-eeool” And that’s just what it did turn out to bo. Interesting Autographs. To scratch one’s name on a window pane is a pastime familiar to most young folks and ono in which it seems that the dignitaries of the earth can find amusement too. On one of tho windows of a railway carriage devoted to the exclusive use of tho king of Denmark and his guests in perhaps as curious a collection of these autographs as can anywhere be found. Every ono of royal blood who travels in this ear is expected to scratch his name with a diamond, and In consequence the glass is scored with the sign manuals, most of them nearly undecipherable, of tho majority of tho princes and princesses of Europe as well os many crowned heads. Ceremony is entirely laid aside in this stately fooling, and the groat ones are bound to sign their pet or family nickname. Consequently.hero may be seen tho signatures: “Nicky,” tho present emperor of Jlussioi “Snoha,” tho late emperor; “Wiuny,” princess of Germany; “Bertie — Alix, ” Prince and Princess of Wales; “Misha,” grand Duke Michael of Russia; “Eddy,” lute duke of Clarence; “Baby,” youngest sister of tho czar; "Willy,’’ Prince of Coburg; “Toria,” Duchess of York, and others quite as informal. Aren't Wo Heavy? Aren’t wo heavy, Gyp and I? Don't wo weigh a lot? Mother lot us Como and try Ono penny in tho slot!

I should think That wo must weigh r; ; Seven hundred tons I They can’t get folks Like us each day. Wo’ro very heavy onesl Foretelling tho Weather. A Spaniali journal tells of an Interesting experiment to bo tried with a cup of clear coffee and a lump of sugar. The sugar should bo dropped Into tho coffee without stirring. In a moment the air contained In the sugar will rise to the surface In the shape of bubbles, and these bubbles are excellent weather Indications. If they collect In tho middle of the cup, a fair day follows; If, adversely, they adhere to the sides, forming a ring of bubbles with a clear space In the center, taka your umbrella, for rain is at hand, while If they do neither ono thing nor the other, but scatter Irregularly, variable weather Is indicated. Just what Is the solentillo explanation of the action of the atmosphere on tho bubbles Is not stated, but that their indications curiously agree with those of a barometer has been tested. Where He Caught It. “Where did you catch that awful cold?” The anxious mother said, And then tho little youngster told, “I caught It In my head.” Chinese Idea of Telegraphy. The Chinese believed when telegraphy was introduced In their country that foreigners out outtho tongues of children and suspended thorn on tho Insulators to tranemlt the message from pole to pole.