Show DEER MICE AS PETS eiterer wy to t bmw their way axt out of tho the cage while rambling one evening in the woods F r slat sat down on a rock close by a shaded bank all overgrown with soft green moss and feathery ferns says st nicholas not far away there was an ancient tree stump with a hole running tn in neath it and what should I 1 see peeping out from the hole but the head of a little reddish brown animal at first sight I 1 took it to be a chipmunk its large barge black eyes seemed full of apprehension and as I 1 move moved d it drew back out of sight on rolling over the stump I 1 alsi discovered beneath it some withered grass carefully rolled into a globular nest cautiously drawing my handkerchief around this I 1 tied it up with whatever it contained and hurried somewhat home what with my treasure on emptying the handkerchief into a box covered with wire gauze I 1 found that I 1 had captured two beautifully delicate and elegant creatures somewhat larger than mice their fur was thick and soft a rich velvet of reddish brown on the back and snowy white beneath their feet also were white but their chief beauty lay lu in their eyes great black liquid orbs arbs halt half protruding from the head no gazelle ever had eyes half bait so lovely they soon mon became quite tame and without showing any fear would allow me to put my hand into their cage to give thelm fruits arid and berries they carried their nest into a corner of the cage and reconstructed it there after two weeks I 1 procured a large cocoanut coco anut sawed it in two and taking one half of it made to it a little doorway when I 1 put this into their cage turned mouth I 1 down they seemed to go wild with the 1 excitement of delight in and out they I 1 ran through the little doorway a hundred times in succession sometimes they would jump up on top of the co chanut and survey it all over and then after washing their faces with I 1 their delicate white paws jump down j again and run inside soon they made i I 1 up their minds to take possession of it as their home their nest in the corner they pulled to pieces and carried it off mouthful by mouthful into the little hut there they have lived ever since during the daytime they sleep but when evening comes on an I 1 they busy themselves running and jumping about the cage and they have I 1 never once in three years tried to gnaw their way out |