TO AESOP IN THE SHADOWS

Johnny Town-mouse was born in a cupboard.  Timmy Willie was born in a garden.  Timmy Willie was a little country mouse who went to town by mistake in a hamper.  The gardener sent vegetables to town once a week by carrier; he packed them in a big hamper.

The gardener left the hamper by the garden gate, so that the carrier could pick it up when he passed.  Timmy Willie crept in through a hole in the wicker-work, and after eating some peas—­Timmy Willie fell fast asleep.

He awoke in a fright, while the hamper was being lifted into the carrier’s cart.  Then there was a jolting, and a clattering of horse’s feet; other packages were thrown in; for miles and miles—­jolt—­jolt—­jolt! and Timmy Willie trembled amongst the jumbled up vegetables.

At last the cart stopped at a house, where the hamper was taken out, carried in, and set down.  The cook gave the carrier sixpence; the back door banged, and the cart rumbled away.  But there was no quiet; there seemed to be hundreds of carts passing.  Dogs barked; boys whistled in the street; the cook laughed, the parlour maid ran up and down-stairs; and a canary sang like a steam engine.

Timmy Willie, who had lived all his life in a garden, was almost frightened to death.  Presently the cook opened the hamper and began to unpack the vegetables.  Out sprang the terrified Timmy Willie.

Up jumped the cook on a chair, exclaiming “A mouse! a mouse!  Call the cat!  Fetch me the poker, Sarah!” Timmy Willie did not wait for Sarah with the poker; he rushed along the skirting board till he came to a little hole, and in he popped.

He dropped half a foot, and crashed into the middle of a mouse dinner party, breaking three glasses.—­“Who in the world is this?” inquired Johnny Town-mouse.  But after the first exclamation of surprise he instantly recovered his manners.

With the utmost politeness he introduced Timmy Willie to nine other mice, all with long tails and white neckties.  Timmy Willie’s own tail was insignificant.  Johnny Town-mouse and his friends noticed it; but they were too well bred to make personal remarks; only one of them asked Timmy Willie if he had ever been in a trap?

The dinner was of eight courses; not much of anything, but truly elegant.  All the dishes were unknown to Timmy Willie, who would have been a little afraid of tasting them; only he was very hungry, and very anxious to behave with company manners.  The continual noise upstairs made him so nervous, that he dropped a plate.  “Never mind, they don’t belong to us,” said Johnny.

“Why don’t those youngsters come back with the dessert?” It should be explained that two young mice, who were waiting on the others, went skirmishing upstairs to the kitchen between courses.  Several times they had come tumbling in, squeaking and laughing; Timmy Willie learnt with horror that they were being chased by the cat.  His appetite failed, he felt faint.  “Try some jelly?” said Johnny Town-mouse.