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"And before you go put a pillow to
my back." |
This is the story of Mr. and Mrs. Teeny Mouse who lived in a cozy little house on the edge of a cornfield. Now Mr. Teeny Mouse was the best mouse you ever saw, always bringing home good things to eat and doing everything he could to make Mrs. Teeny Mouse happy. But Mrs. Teeny Mouse was quite different. She never thought of any one's comfort but her own, and she was very, very lazy.
One morning, before she was out of bed, she said to Mr. Teeny Mouse:
"My dear, I wish you would go and get me some tidbits."
"Tidbits?" asked Mr. Teeny Mouse, turning from the mirror where he was combing his whiskers. "What are tidbits, my dear?"
"A delightful combination of cheese and crackers," replied Mrs. Teeny Mouse. "And before you go, put a pillow to my back, and pass me my book and spectacles."
Mr. Teeny Mouse, who was very obliging, put the pillow to Mrs. Teeny Mouse's back, gave her the book and spectacles, and then he said:
"My dear, I really have no idea where these tidbits can be found. But I do know where I can get some delicious crumbly crackers, and some very tasty cheese. Now won't they do just as well as the tidbits?"
"Teeny Mouse," said Mrs. Teeny Mouse most severely, "what I want, I want. Neither the crumbly crackers nor the tasty cheese appeal to me in the least. I want the tidbits. Nothing more, nothing less. Be off with you, and bring back the tidbits."
"My dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse, "it is a pleasure to go in search of these choice morsels for you, but now I am going to ask you to do something for me."
"What is it, Teeny Mouse?" asked Mrs. Teeny Mouse with a yawn.
"I want you to get up and dress, and make the bed, and tidy the house before I return," said Mr. Teeny Mouse in his meek little way.
"To be sure I will when I feel like it," tartly returned Mrs. Teeny Mouse.
"But, my dear, I wish you would promise me that you will get up and dress, and make the bed, and tidy the house," gently begged Mr. Teeny Mouse.
"Oh, I'll see," said Mrs. Teeny Mouse, picking up her book and proceeding to read. "Be sure to bring the tidbits, Teeny Mouse.''
"I shall do my best, my dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse as he picked up his cap and knapsack, "and you be sure to get up and do as I ask."
"Oh, be off with you, Teeny Mouse," cried Mrs. Teeny Mouse in a peevish voice.
Mr. Teeny Mouse closed the door and started off in search of the tidbits, and he had quite an exciting adventure as you will read.
He skipped across the cornfield, straight to the farmer's cottage where he was accustomed to get his provisions. He went at once to the pantry, because there is really no place like a pantry to find all kinds of goodies. Then he smelled cheese. He scurried over cups and saucers, tea canisters, cans, and boxes, and dear knows what all, but he could not find the tidbits.
He found the crumbly crackers on a plate and put a few crumbs in his knapsack. He also came across a nut which he dropped into the knapsack. Then he sniffed cheese; it was the tasty kind. He was pretty certain of that. But. what horrible luck! The cheese was attached to one of those miserable mouse-traps! He saw just in the nick of time. Then he thought he would leave the pantry and look elsewhere, and so he went on into the kitchen.
As there were footsteps in the kitchen, he was obliged to hide behind a broom for several seconds. When he came out a big black cat darted from behind the stove. Poor Mr. Teeny Mouse really thought his time had come, but at that moment the pot boiled over and splashed on the cat, and as the cat jumped out of the window!
Mr. Teeny Mouse scurried off to the dining room. He ran to the sideboard, where he found the bottom door ajar, and he went inside. The delicious odor of cheese came to his nostrils. He hoped it was not on one of those horrid mouse-traps. It wasn't. The odor came from a small box, which he proceeded to gnaw until he made a hole. Then he drew out a funny cracker and nibbled on the end. As it was both cheese and cracker, he thought it must be the tidbit. He helped himself, and when he could not eat another crumb he stuffed several into his knapsack, and concluded he would start for home.
It took a great deal of courage to pass through the kitchen again, and you may be sure, when he finally was outdoors, he lost no time running from the garden across the cornfield to his own little house.
"Ah," thought Mr. Teeny Mouse, as he stopped at the door to get his breath, "how happy Mrs. Teeny Mouse will be. Not only have I procured provisions for many days to come, but I have in my knapsack the delicious tidbits she craved!"
He went inside, expecting to see everything neat and tidy and Mrs. Teeny Mouse ready to greet him. But, alas! the house was still in the greatest disorder, and Mrs. Teeny Mouse was in bed fast asleep.
Mr. Teeny Mouse was dreadfully provoked. "I am too good to Mrs. Teeny Mouse," he said. "Here I have risked my life to obtain tid-bits for her, and she is too lazy to get up and put our house in order. I shall teach her a lesson."
Forthwith he stamped over to the bed and gave Mrs. Teeny Mouse a shake. "Shame on you!" he cried.. "Get out of bed at once, and tidy up this house, and get my dinner. No more of this will I have! Get up at once!"
Now Mrs. Teeny Mouse was used to such a gentle Mr. Teeny Mouse that she was really quite bewildered for a moment. She sat up in bed, and rubbed her eyes, and then she said: "Oh, the tidbits! Did you bring the tidbits, Teeny Mouse?"
Mr. Teeny Mouse scowled at Mrs. Teeny Mouse. He said: "Out of bed, and do as I tell you, Mrs. Teeny Mouse!"
Mrs. Teeny Mouse gave Mr. Teeny Mouse a sidelong glance. He looked very angry, and never before had he spoken in such a cross way.
"Hurry!" commanded Mr. Teeny Mouse. "Hurry!" commanded Mr. Teeny Mouse, folding his arms across his breast. "And do not talk back to me."
Then Mrs. Teeny Mouse, who had bossed Mr. Teeny Mouse all of her life, suddenly became very meek, and she hopped out of bed, and said: "Yes, my dear. In a minute, my dear. You take a stroll in the garden, and I will call you, my dear, when everything is ready."
Oh, my! how Mrs. Teeny Mouse worked. She shook the rugs, and swept the hearth, and made the bed, and set the table. Then she raised the window and rang the bell. When Mr. Teeny Mouse came in she was weeping. Whereupon Mr. Teeny Mouse patted her shoulder and said: "My dear, it grieved me to be cross with you. But, on the other hand, you cannot expect me to do things for you unless you are willing to do things for me."
"I shall be quite different in the future, Teeny Mouse," murmured Mrs. Teeny Mouse in a penitent voice. "I admit I have not been what I should have been."
"Let bygones be bygones," said Mr. Teeny Mouse, who was very forgiving. Then he opened his knapsack and drew out the tidbits. "Teeny Mouse!" exclaimed Mrs. Teeny Mouse. "Oh, you dear Teeny Mouse, how can I ever thank you?"
"Don't mention it, my dear," said Mr. Teeny Mouse with a wave of his hand. And after that the Teeny Mice were the happiest little pair you ever saw. This just goes to show you really can't expect others to do things for you unless you are willing to do things for them. Linda Stevens Almond.
