SILVER SUIT

Manawatu Times, Volume LIV, Issue 6912, 18 May 1929, Page 10

SILVER SUIT

Mrs. Mouse lived in a tiny house tucked away in the corner of the slicd on a cornfield in a country village. She had five children, but one she loved more dearly than all the rest because he was white, and she christened him Silver Suit. Now, I’m sorry to say, Silver Suit was very much spoilt, and he demanded everything he saw, and his poor little brothers and sisters had to wait until he would help himself to all the choice bits of cheese. Ho was even allowed to put his finger in the plum cake and take out all the cherries. Oim day Silver Suit w3s sent, out to buy some eggs, but sad to relate, he broke several to see what was inside t.iem. He met several of his cousins who were very chepky rats, and they thought it rather fun to tease Silver because be was white aud they were grey. They had never seen a white mouso before. So poor little Silver Suit was always in tears.

One dav when Mrs. Mouse was out shopping, Silver Suit’s brothers, Scamper and Scurry, thought they would give their mother a surprise when she came Borne. So they got some brown paint and painted Silver Suit a pretty brown, which pleased him tremendously, because lie thought, ‘‘Now, I'm just like my brothers and sisters, and my cousins won't be able to make me unhappy anv more.”

So he sat wifh a beautiful blue, bow tied round has neck, waiting for his mother to return. But when she saw him she tried to shoo him away until Scamper and Scurry, who had been hiding behind a bag of. corn, gave several squeaks of delight and ran up to their mother and told her what they had done. “My precious pet, my little prince, she cried, “co-me, come at once, and she dragged poor little Silver Suit- off to the bathroom, and put him into a bath of kerosene and turpentine. .Poor little Silver Suit gapped and spluttered, because little Mother Mouse was in such a state that she didn’t notice her darling son was swallowing almost as much as ho was sitting in. When she got him all nice and white again, she said, “Now come along, -we will all go for a picnic.” So they packed a basket and went along to a grassy spot where they thought they would have their lunch.

When they were just about to have sonic cheese-cake, a groat shadow loomed overhead, and came nearer and nearer. Scamper and Scurry made a rush to get hold of the end of it, but Silver suit squeaked out: “It s mine, it’s mine. I want it; it’s mine. I saw it first, ’’ and of course Mothoi Mouse called Scamper and Scurry back. Silver Suit climbed on to this strange looking thing, wheu all at once it was hoisted into the air again, with Silver Suit clinging frantically to the side. Mrs. Mouse ran to grasp him, but she was too late. Away, away, away into the air Ibis strange thing flew. 'Half an hour later a small boy, with rosy cheeks and dimples, pulled and nulled his beloved kite to earth, when ho saiv a strange, frightened little thing move. “My goodness me, ’’ said Peter Piper, “Whatever is this? That’s strange,” aud he picked poor little Silver Suit up very carefully', and took him home. He made a gilded cage and lined it with pule blue satin, and thought little Silver (Suit would be such a darling little pet. He couldn't understand why kc wouldn’t eat the toasted cheese that he had put before him. Fluffy, the cat, looked very lovingly towards him from her cushion by the lire. She blinked once or twice, and thought “sho would wait until her little master had gone to bed. But Huff had been hunting all day and was very tired. She had cleared all the field mice from the cream house. The coals looked like great red sparkling rubies behind a gold fire screen. Peter Piper gave Silver Suit a goodnight stroke, which only made him all tLe more homesick. Not a sound could be heard. Silver Suit crept up to the door of his cage which had a very /bad catch, and he almost stopped breathing when he saw he could squeeze himclf through. Once the cuckoo clock struck and he darted back again. He thought: “Now if I could only gel, past that awful cat. I’vc never seen such a big cat.” Slowly, slowly he made hie way across the, room aud gave one bound up the curtain and out, the window, across the garden. Once, just as he was going through the garden gate, the wind blew some leaves which gave him an awful fright. On and on be plodded, until at last In- came to the little stream with a tiny bridge across, and he knew that he must be almost home. He was panting and crying at the same tune, but managed to give his mother a call. There was a clatter of feet and matches being struck. When Mrs. Mouse came to the door with a lantern in her hand, and whispered, “Silver Suit, Silver Suit, why precious pet,’ ’and he replied ‘ 1 That’s me.’’

A Boy Scout was asked: Have you done a kind deed every day. something to make someone happy ? : ‘‘Well,” he confessed, “1 went to sec rny aunt yesterday, and —and • well, I guess she was happy when I went home 1 ”

Hello Dear Hub, and Hello all the Cogs, I do hope we won’t have any more earthquake. lam sure it made all the Cogs frightened. The very next day our grandma came to sec us. She first, went to sc our cousins in Kinibolton and she found them all well. The earthquake didu’t do them any harm, Then she came to sec us. Hera and I were very pleased 1o see our "ranny. The new Bkilllest is rather hard." I don't know many motor car names so 1 won't, get a prize, but 1 will send in the names I do know. Some day I wish to be as clever as Rex and know all about New Zealand. I liked his letter very much, although it. was rather hard to read at first. Ihe Indian story is very pretty. Well L'ood-bvo evervbody. Love lrom JULIA WILSON. (Apiti.)

Dear Hub, . . I am so sorry for not, wnUag sooner. I like the new Skilltests verymuch and the other competitions aro very nice, too. What a good, loug letter Rex sends you in, aud he does tell vou such a lot. We have had such "good fun at school lately as wc have been practising for a concert. The concert, was held at the Longburo Halt on Thursday night, and it was quite a good one, but just as we went to gather our things to go home, the lights went out; and that, awful thunderstorm started. Didn’t the wind blow hard last night. I think we have had everything imaginable in the last week except a snow storm. There lias been such a lot. of men down here shooting since the, Ist. May. lam coming into town for my holidays this week, so I will be sure" to conic and see you. I suppose there will be many Cogs to see you during the holidays. All the mushrooms are over and I am sorry that I did not bring you any, but I will have to tell you all about it when P come to see you. I sec you have some of vour little Cogs in the Competitions. "l hope they will do their best and win some of the prizes. Eileen ••aid that, she will bo writing to you soon. Well I must be closing now as it is getting late. I send mv best- luck to you, dear Hub, and the faithful lit tic Cogs. I am, vour grateful Cog, MARGARET BELL. (Karcrc).