The Great Round World and What Is Going On In It, Vol. 1, No. 19, March 18, 1897 | Page 8

long story to The Sun, a few days ago, telling how he
was awakened one night, and frightened out of his wits by hearing a
noise like the peeping of a chicken in the adjoining room.

He got up and lit the gas, and saw a little brown mouse run across the
floor.
He set a trap, caught the mouse, which was no sooner in the trap than it
began to sing. The man whistled to it, and the little creature replied.
The man did not seem to realize that he had found a great prize, but
pretending that his wife was afraid of the mouse, he drowned it in a pail
of water.
When it was safely dead, he began to search through his encyclopedia
to see what kind of a "beastie" he had caught. But the encyclopedia, as
studied by the good man, did not seem to be any wiser than he, and he
finally wrote a note to the newspaper for information.
[Illustration]
It is a great pity he did not keep the mouse until he had looked the
matter up, for chance had sent him a very gentle and charming little pet.
His singing mouse was a deer or white-foot mouse. This mouse is
found all over the United States, and while several other kinds are
known to sing, the deer-mouse is the sweetest of the singers.
These mice can be very easily tamed, and live happily in cages, like
dormice.
In "Nature's Wonderland" an interesting story is told of a deer-mouse
which was a famous singer.
It was owned by Dr. Lockwood, who was so pleased with its songs,
that he set them to music, and gave them names.
He noticed that his mouse had certain songs for certain occasions.
When she had awakened from a long sleep, and had taken some nice
food, she would sing her great aria, which he called the "Grand Role."
When she jumped into her wheel for a spin, she had another kind of
song, which he called the "Wheel Song."

She had another song that she used for state occasions, and this was so
silvery and sweet, that those who heard it declared that no canary could
imitate it.
It is a pity that such a pretty and curious kind of creature should have
been killed through ignorance.
GENIE H. ROSENFELD.
We have another true story of a singing mouse, which will be published
in "THE GREAT ROUND WORLD Animal Story-Book."--EDITOR.

Letters From Our Young Friends.
DEAR MR. EDITOR:
I take THE GREAT ROUND WORLD and like it very much. I am
interested to know what has become of Robinson Crusoe's Island, as I
have not seen anything about it lately. I hope there will be something
about it soon.
Yours truly, NEW YORK, Feb. 19th, 1897. FREDERICK D.
P.S.--We have a club every Saturday morning, and we read THE
GREAT ROUND WORLD.

DEAR FREDERICK:
We have had no further news about Crusoe's Island. Rest assured that
we will tell our young friends when anything more is heard of or from
the island of Juan Fernandez. THE EDITOR.

DEAR MR. EDITOR:

I have of late become deeply interested in your delightful little paper,
THE GREAT ROUND WORLD, and as I saw many of the enthusiastic
readers writing to you, and asking different requests, I thought I would
follow their example. I use your little book for different purposes. At
school we have to begin topics, and I get a great deal of information
from your little paper. I also spend many happy moments reading its
contents.
I wish you would send me the names of a few good books. I do not
want anything like fairy tales, but something on the order of "Six
Girls," by Miss Irving, or "Little Women"; or I would be more pleased
with the names of a few good boarding-school stories. I would also like
you to explain the relationship between Noah and Daniel Webster.
Hoping I will receive an answer in a short time, I remain,
Your interested reader, CINCINNATI, O., Feb. 22d, 1897. GRACE G.
DEAR GRACE:
We are very glad you take pleasure in THE GREAT ROUND WORLD,
and that you find it useful.
We are told by a girl who is fond of reading, that "A World of Girls,"
by Mead, is the most delightful school story ever written.
"Jackanapes," "Six to Sixteen," "A Flat-Iron for a Farthing," are all
three by Mrs. Ewing, and are charming books.
"An Old-Fashioned Girl," and Miss Yonge's "Pillars of the House," are
both interesting.
History does not tell us of any close relationship between Noah and
Daniel Webster. EDITOR.
DEAR EDITOR:
I tried "Sylvia's Caramels," and found them very nice.

The other day I went to the Zoo. It is very nice. Chiquita