t, hot summer day
She moved her nursery.

Dear mother mouse! My verse has told
Your patient loving deed;
Methinks our boys and girls may learn
Some lessons as they read.

Francis E. Cooke

The True History of a Poor Little Mouse

A poor little mouse
Had once made him a nest,
And he fancied, the warmest,
And safest, and best,
That a poor little mouse could enjoy;
So snug and convenient,
So out of the way.
This poor little mouse
And his family lay,
They fear'd neither pussy nor boy.

It was in a store
That was seldom in use,
Where shavings and papers
Were scattered in loose,
That this poor little mouse made his hole,
But alas! Master Johnny
Had seen him one day,
As in a great fright
He had scampered away,
With a piece of plum pudding he stole.

As soon as young Johnny
(Who, wicked and bad,
No pitiful thoughts
For dumb animals had)
Descried the poor fellow's retreat,
He crept to the shavings
And set them alight,
And, before the poor mouse
Could run off in its fright,
It was smother'd to death in the heat!

Poor mouse! how it squeak'd
I can't bear to relate,
Nor how its poor little
Ones hopp'd in the grate,
And died, one by one, in the flame!
I should not much wonder
To hear, that, some night,
This wicked boy's bed-curtains
Catching alight,
He suffered exactly the same.

Ann Taylor

The Mouse's Call

A little mouse crept out one day,
When all was still about;
To dollie's house he took his way,
The lady being out.

He skipped about with bead-bright eyes
From table down to chair;
He thought the house was just the size
For him to settle there.

He found some jelly cake so nice,
This naughty little mouse;
He nibbled first, then in a trice
'Twas gone from dollie's house.

He curl'd himself upon the floor,
To have a little nap,
When suddenly upon the floor
There came a fearful rap.

The mouse who had not left a crumb,
With fear began to shake,
For dollie's mistress back had come
To get her piece of cake.

She opened wide the little house,
Her doll lay on her arm,
And when she spied the trembling mouse
She c