THE NEW HOUSE.

Auckland Star, Volume LX, Issue 146, 22 June 1929, Page 3 (Supplement)

THE NEW HOUSE.

'T wish we could move, this house is so old," Flossie Mouse said, "and it's cold, too. I know where there is a lovely house quite new, and nobody lives there." "Don't you be so silly and vain," Mrs. Mouse said. "I'm sure your father and I have been very happy here, and we don't want to move: I should like to know what's wrong with the house." "It —it isn't pretty," muttered Flossie, "and it's such a long way down the passage, too. Then the passage is always dark, and I've just bumped my head." "If only you would stop at home and help me," there would be nothing to grumble at," Mrs. Mouse said, as she began to nibble a piece of cheese. Flossie Mouse tossed her head. She ■.vasn't going to stay indoors when there was such a lot of fun out of doors. Just then Mr. Mouse came in. "Father," Flossie said, before he had time to take off his coat, "wouldn t you like to live in a nice new house, and have plenty to eat every day instead of this stuffv old hole?" "No, Flossie, this house is good enough for me," Mr. Mouse said. "And if we moved, perhaps we shouldn't be so happy, and I don't intend to move." , "A new house!" Jacky Mouse had come in, and he wanted to know what they were talking about. "Yes, Flossie wants to move," his mother said, "but we're not going. She says she knows where there is a new house we can have for nothing." "Where is it?" Jacky Mouse stopped nibbling an ear of wheat and looked at liis sister. "I'm not going to tell you," Flossie snapped out. "If you like to live here you can do so, and I will go away and live by mvself." Mr."Mouse looked up from his supper. s) "You're not going out this evening, he said, "so you just be a good girl, Flossie." ■? Flossie sat sulking in a corner until Jacky had finished his home lessons, then he ran over and sat down by her side. "Where is this new house?" he asked. "You won't come with me," Flossie said. "So I'm not going to tell you." "Yes, I will. I'm tired of this house, too," said Jacky. "I say, can't we go now ?" "Yes," said Flossie. They crept across the floor, and m a minute they were outside, and Flossie danced round a chair. "Well, where is it? This new house? Jack Mouse asked impatiently. "You come with me." Flossie peeped round the door, then she darted into a nice big pantry, and there, standing on a shelf in a corner, was the new house. They walked round it, Flossie admiring the colour, when Jacky Mouse ex--claimed: "Why, where's the door-?" "We must make one," Flossie said, and they hastily set to work. Then very 6oon they were inside and fast asleep. Flossie woke with a start. The new house was moving. She touched Jack}, and they waited, trembling, to see what would happen. Then Flossie peeped out--side.

"Oh!" she drew back for a big man was standing looking at the house, and he had a big knife in his hand. "Come Jacky," Flossie whispered, "we shall have to run very fast." The man turned his head and the naughty little mice scampered back to the old home as fast as they could. "Why," said Mr. Mouse, when Jacky told him what had happened, "that was a big cheese, not a house at all." Flossie never wanted to move again, and she still lives in the old home with Mr. and Mrs. Mouse and Jacky.