Mouser Cats Story | Page 3

out with pride, so I changed the conversation, and began talking about mice, when suddenly there was a terrible commotion down the lane, and up came Mr. Towser, Miss Spaniel and four or five other dogs, barking and yelping.
"Oh me, oh my, how frightened I was! Up a tree I scurried as fast as my legs would carry me, and not until I was safe on the highest limb did I look around to see Mr. Fox, who didn't care the snap of his claws for dogs; but, bless you, he was going toward the meadow with his tail hanging straight out behind him, while the dogs were gaining on him at every jump. Mr. Towser told me afterward that they made Mr. Fox just about as sick as Mrs. Toad made the bugs."
"What was it Mrs. Toad did?" your Aunt Amy asked, and Mrs. Mouser replied with a grin:
"Perhaps you never heard that Mr. Crow is a great hand at making poetry?"
[Illustration: Mr. Crow.]
"I have indeed," your Aunt Amy replied, and it was only with difficulty she prevented herself from laughing aloud. "I have heard of his poetry from every bird and animal around this farm."
[Illustration: Mr. Fox forgets how bold he was as the dogs chase him through the field.]

A WET-WEATHER PARTY.
"Then perhaps you don't care to hear any more?" Mrs. Mouser said inquiringly.
"Indeed I do," your Aunt Amy replied, "if it is anything new, and I surely have never heard of a wet-weather party."
[Illustration: Mr. and Miss Cricket.]
Mrs. Mouser stroked her whiskers a moment, and then began to repeat the following:
A little Black Ant was journeying home From a marketing visit to town, When down came the ram, pitter-patter, so fast, It threatened to spoil her best gown.
She wandered about till she quite lost her way, Till at last a big Toadstool she found, "Ah, here I can rest!" said the little Black Ant, And she wearily sank to the ground.
And as she sat resting, a light she espied, And a Glow-worm came twinkling by. "Dear me!" exclaimed he, with a gasp and a sob, "I don't think I'll ever be dry!"
"Come in, sir, come in," said the little Black Ant, "Here is plenty of room, sir, for two. Pray bring in your light, sir, and sit down by me, Or else you'll be surely wet through."
[Illustration: Mr. Stag-Beetle and the Newspaper Reporter.]
The Glow-worm agreed, and soon brought in his light, When a cricket appeared on the scene With her fiddle and bow (she's a minstrel, you know) --To a concert in town she had been.
"Come in, ma'am, come in!" said the little Black Ant, "Here is shelter and light for us all! And if you could play us a nice little tune, We might fancy we were at a ball."
[Illustration: Mr. Beetle Arrives.]
"Hear, hear!" said the voice of the Stag-Beetle bold, Who just then was passing that way; "And if there is dancing, I hope, dear Miss Ant, That you will allow me to stay!"
"Come in, sir, come in!" said the little Black Ant, "The more, sir, the merrier we! And here, I declare, is my friend Mrs. Snail, As busy as ever, I see!"
"Come in, Mrs. Snail," said the little Black Ant, "Come join our small party to-night! Here's the Beetle and Cricket all quite snug and dry, And the Glow-worm to give us some light!"
So the Snail came and joined them, still knitting away, And the Cricket her fiddle got out; And then--well, you just should have seen how they danced, How they jumped and all capered about!
[Illustration: Mrs. Toad Breaks up the Party.]
The Little Black Ant did a skirt-dance quite well; The Beetle a gay Highland fling; And as for the Glow-worm, he just jigged about, And danced really nothing at all.
But all of a sudden a croaking was heard, And who should appear but a Toad, Who hoarsely demanded their business, and why They were all gathered in her abode?
Then what a commotion! The little Black Ant Went from one fainting fit to another; The Snail simply shut herself up in her house, And thought she'd escape all the bother!
The Beetle and Glow-worm soon took themselves off, And the Cricket and Ant with them too, And once more these poor creatures were out in the rain, And didn't know what they should do.
But they presently came to the trunk of a tree, And there they all stayed for the night; But they never forgot that old, cross Mrs. Toad, Who gave them so dreadful a fright!"
"Mrs. Toad certainly succeeded in raising quite a disturbance," your Aunt Amy said, feeling it necessary to make some comment, and Mrs. Mouser replied thoughtfully:

MR. THOMAS CAT'S NARROW ESCAPE.
"Yes, almost as much as Mr. Man did when he tried to drown Mr. Thomas Cat the other day.