Children's Column. THE ENTRAPPED MOUSE.

Waimate Daily Advertiser, Issue 30, 17 December 1898, Page 4

Children's Column. THE ENTRAPPED MOUSE.

Poor little mouse, with eyes so bright, Running about so gay all night, Nibbling away at the eofn and raoal, Thinkirig 'twas put there 1 for 1 him to steal. His mother had told him ere he started that night, Not to venture too far, but to keep in her 1 sight ; IMh mousie was young, and felt so spry, No need, thought he, to keep near mother's eye. If I do, she'll be f nstey and fidget, I lmow, The ways of old mice are exceedingly slow; I'm sure it will be, "Don't do this," '• Don't do that, And whatever you do look out for the cat*" Now, the cat is a sdft, downy creature, I'm Sure, And looks half-asleep, curled Tip on the floor ; There's no need to fear, so I'll venture about, I want to learn something this first night I'm out. So he peeped in the crannies, he ran past the cat ; Pitt his head into this hole and then into that, Till at length he got ti±"ed, arid stopt him to rest, Thinking home and dear mother after all were the best. So he started to run' and, as you may , suppose, , ' "Wotild soon have got home, but a smell met his nose Of somethtng delicious, he'd ne'er smelt before ; • ■ He stopt, and then < scampered away to explore* He ran and he sniffed, and at last nearer drew To what looked like a-house to his won- 1 ' , , dering view. In vain mother called, and spoke of* the oat, , • < He must see that house before 'he' A goback. The sides • Were of . Wood', and*' also the floor, The front was of wire,, at the .back was a ' ' d°9' r ' ' '',',' Set' open Wide. '*How kind," thought 1 ' 'this poor littlelmouse, " Of 'soiiieone J to make such a, dear- little, » -' laou^e.'"' -'-' " ' ' ' ' -j- • And not only so, but inside was a, trea]b v i ' That thing he had .smelt tni^stjbe.spme5 '-•''■■thing to'eai' ' --" . • *■ j ' And.Joh 1 ( how.jdelicious, it looked,', 'tp.be