RATS.

New Zealand Graphic, Volume V, Issue 46, 15 November 1890, Page 19

RATS.

Have you ever thought what clever little animals rats are? No? Then I must tell you something about them. They do not often get caught in a trap, because they smell that a hand has touched it, so they at once say, ’ Keep away from that thing. I can smell a man’s hand has been near it ; I am sure it will not l>e good for us.’ One clever man thought he would play a trick on the rats which were living in his barns, and eating all his wheat and oats. So he got some tubs, tilled them with water, and in the middle of each tub he put a brick standing on one end, and about an inch of the brick coming above the top of the water. Then he covered the tub, brick and all, with brown paper, ami put on the paper a dainty feast for the rats — scraps of bacon, and such things. He also very kindly put a board between the tub edge and the ground, so that the rats could easily walk up to the feast.

For several nights the rats were allowed to feast, and being very kind they told their friends about this nice supper. But one day the gentleman who had set the trap cut the brown paper in such a way that the first rat who went on it would be sure to tumble into the cold water. That night a nice brown rat came very early out of his hole, hoping to have a good feast before his friends thought it was time to wake up from their day sleep. He ran up the board, on to the paper, then plump down he went into the water. He soon discovered the brick, and climbed on to that, then he began to squeal for help. His mother was in her hole, and soon ran out, but another rat got there first, fell into the water, and tried to climb on to the brick. But the first brown, rat fought him off, as there really was only room for one, and when the other rats heard these two crying and squeaking, they all ran up the plank and fell into the water. So numbeis of rats were killed, and the gentleman was very glad.

There was an omnibus conductor who once eaught a pretty brown and white rat. It became very fond of its master's children, and would play about with them as merrily as a kitten. On cold nights it slept in its master's lied, nestling as close to him as a chicken to a mother hen. How would you like a rat in your lied ? The master used to put it to watch over his dinner, and it would fly at anyone w ho tried to come near it.

There was a poor man who was in a prison in France for thirty-five years. He made friends with one rat by giving it ci limbs. The rat the next time fetched another rat. and he, in turn, invited a friend to eat the crumbs. At last he got thirteen rats. He made them play all sorts of games, and taught them tricks. One gentleman saw two rats carrying an egg downstairs. One stood on the top step, and pushed the egg down to the one who stood on the next step, and who gently took it in his front paws, laid it on the step, w here the other rat took charge of it. then he jumped on to the next lower step, ami the other rat again pushed the egg gently into his aims. Another rat lay on his back bolding an egg in his four paws, whilst several other rats dragged him a long way by the tail.