Mouser Cats Story | Page 3

them should come right up here this
minute, it wouldn't bother me any. You may not think it; but Mr.
Towser is actually afraid of me.
"Well now, do you know that made me laugh again, because in the first
place I knew it wasn't true; but what was the use of saying anything of
the kind to him? He was swelled way 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