BAT STORIES.

Otago Witness, Issue 1932, 30 November 1888, Page 31

BAT STORIES.

A gentleman in the country was much annoyed by rats, which constantly visited his cellar. He caught some of them in traps, but the nuisance was little abated. Knowing something of their habits, he resolved on a plan by which he hoped to rid himself of them. He provided himself with a large oak box, half filled with meal, which was placed in the cellar, while he sat — concealed with sacks— to watch, just having a spyhole. The rats soon made their appearance, first reconnoitring, then timidly approaching the box, and, after a time, attacking the meal, keeping a look-out all the time. The next night the same plan was repeated, and the rats were emboldened to enter the box. The third night saw them in yet greater numbers, and, as the gentleman had placed little ladders beside the box for their convenience, they were soon gorging away at the meal. The fourth night was to be the crisis. The rats had lost all fear, and while they were devouring the remains of the meal, down came the strong lid, and they were all safe. The next morning the box and its contents were removed from the cellar, and launched into a pond, where the robbers met their decreed fate.

A poor Frenchman making his way from Dover to London was attracted to a small road-side inn. Weary with his journey, and hoping to get supper and a bed, he entered. "Bring me," said he to the landlord, "a leetilbit of bread and cheese, also some portare, which I sail take, and myself to bed." His supper finished, he placed the remnants of his meal in his pockets, and went to bed. Alas ! he could not get a wink of sleep. In the room were some sacks of flour, and he had no sooner put on his nightcap and put out his light than a party of rats manifested their presence. Without any ceremony they went from sack to sack, eating to their hearts' content, all seeming as merry as crickets. The article of dress in which the remnants of the supper had been placed contained also the owner's purse, and for the safety of the latter he had placed it under his pillow. The odour of the cheese attracted several of the rats. Instinctively the Frenchman passed his hands over his nose and ears to see, as we say, whether they had been gnawed off or not. Satisfied on this point, he now and then felt the rats scampering over his face, and attempts at sleep were unavailing. At length he jumped up, and, calling for a light, demanded his bill. The bill was brought. To his utter astonishment, 10s was the charge for the supper and bed. The Frenchman could not believe his eyes. He read it over and over again, but could not make it less. Then he began to rate the landlord, and complained loudly of the rats. " Plague on those rats I" said the landlord. " I wish, mounseer, that I could make them scout. I'll pay him well that can." The Frenchman saw in this proposal an easy way of settlement, and a retort upon the avaricious landlord into the bargain, so he offered to give him a sure cure if he would settle the account. " Agreed," said the landlord. And the Frenchman began — '' First, den— regardez, if you please— Bring to this Bpot a leetil bread and cheese, Eh bien 1 a half-filled pot of portare, too ; And den you get de rats to sup vid you ; And after dat— no matter dey be willing— For vat dey eat you charge dem just ten shilling ; And I am sure, yen dey behold the score, Dey'll quit your house, and never come no more I"

A rat is the last creature of which people 'in general would think of making a pet ; but though to most of us he is a pest.and nothing less, to some he has become an amusing pet. The cases we propose to give as instances show that Mr Rat, like many quadrupeds and bipedo in general, is capable of improvement.

There was living in London, some years ago, a man who worked hard to get a living for his numerous family as a maker of whips. He was in the habit of cutting a number of strips of leather, oiling and greasing them, and placing them in a box ready for use. These strips frequently disappeared, one by one, nobody knew how. One day, while at work in his shop, he saw a large black rat poking his head out of a hole in one corner of the room. Presently he Came out and made his way straight to the box where the strips of leather were placed. In he dived, and almost immediately reappeared with one of the strips, and made his way to his hole. The man determined to catch the

thief, so, having obtained a cinder-sieve* which he propped up with a stick, and baited with some cheese, he held the string in hand and awaited the issue. The rat soon made .his appearance, smelling abou^ and was soon attracted to the cheese. Nibbling away at the nice morsel, the sieve soon fell, and Mr Rat was caught. The man armed himself with a heavy stick to despatch the prisoner -when the sieve was lifted. To his astonishment the rat lay quite still ; then, in a few moments, he quietly walked up to the man's clothes and rested on the sleeve of his coat, looking up into his face as if pleading f o his life. The whip-maker was disarmed, and decided not to kill the rat, but to see whether food placed for him every morning would not divert him from the leather strips. . He put the rat down, therefore, and he quietly walked away to his hole. Every morning bread and butter was placed for the rat's breakfast, and with due regularity he came out and partook of it, while the strips of leather remained untouched. The creature soon became quite familiar; he would run about the shop, and even on the work-bench of his master. He would follow him. to the stable, picking up the stray grains of corn, that fell from the manger, taking care, however, to keep out of the way of the pony's feet. His great delight was to lie basking in the sun in the stable window. But this he did once too often. A neighbour's dog caught sight of him one day, dashed at him through the window, gave him an ugly squeeze and a disagreeable shake, and all was over. The dog walked away with ears and tail ereot, but poor Mr Rat's race was ended.