7 UK MOLE. 



While thus employed, its whole facultie- an- -. entirely absorbed in its thirst for revenge, 

 tluit it will leuve the subterraneous shafts which it ha- U-.-U excavating, uml join battle with 

 ita foe in the full light of day. Should one of D verpower :m<l kill tin- other, 



tin ' ri ,- Mole spriagivpon tin M. \\\\ . <, ..-!- ' \\ ..p. <,. an.i p!u ii_ m.: M- ii..-.- in:., 

 tin- woiiinl. drink- tli.- I >l< MI. I ..I" it- foe. ainl f.-a-t- ridiU mi the sanguine banquet. 



nlwt was lately witnessed b\ one ..f m\ frit-mis, who kimlly wrote the account 

 <>f tlw proceeding, and of the fate of one of the combatants. 



"Daring a fine autumn afternoon, I wan taking a walk in some woods, and had reached a 

 very retired part t >f tin- path, when 1 -uddenh heard a considerable scrambling amongst tin 

 <lri.il lean* ami underu INN!. I IM.H -looping ti obtain a view of whatever mL'ht U> causing 

 tli.- 'li^urUmce, I caught sight of two littl.- Mark creatures engaged in tierce combat. Th.-\ 

 tumbled over one another, and were so mm h concealed by the leaves that th.-y could not be 

 easily di-tin-ni-h.-d. 



scarcely had I obtained this view of the combatants than out- of tht-m Ugan to retreat, 

 and was quickly followed hy his oppoti.-nt. Seeing the direction in which they were running. 

 I ;i i : nay throiigl th. briars as quickly as jiossible. and phutil mywlf dinvtly in the jmtli 

 <if the i reatures. They came on ijuit- ur < i.nxcioiis of m\ pivM-m-c. and <l<>dp<d about within 

 a few fe-t of HP I i-oiiltl now jM-iv.-i\ that the creatun- ither Mol.-s ,<r nits, and 



determined, whichever they might IH-, to capture om- or both. 



IHsreganlin^ th>- tln.ru- ami thistles, I jiim|tl thmui;h the underwood, and wa.s th.-n 

 lose to the animals, which imm.-liat.-l\ ct-ax-<l tli.-ir ]>ersonal quarrel, ami liegan Kinking in 

 a most ghost-like manner into the soil. ThN proceeding showed me that they \\.-ie Molea. 



"Not l-ing ]iartirulurly urjiiainted with the arrangement of the Mole's teeth, or with 

 ita disposition. I <litl not venture to take hold of either creature \\iih my hand, but Iteing 

 auxin u> to .-if.-ct a capture, I caught hold of the tail of one of the little fellows, and with 

 the help of a sharp tug I pulled him out of the ground, and gave him an aerial voyage. 



"He came to the 1:11 HI ni I without any apparent injury, and again l>cg;in busily sinking a 

 shaft. This time the back looked HO very inviting, that I seized him by the short fur UJHUI 

 that porti.ni f his body, and then found that I had him quite secure. II-- ap|M-aiv.l \>rv 

 philosophical under the circumstances, and did not jH-rform any unnevs;-ary contortion-. 

 -Mm dj-co\ered that he WON u safe prisoner. 'Hie next proce-dini: wa- to place 

 him in my handkerchief, and to di-cover whether he could, eitlu-r by his teeth or daws, make 

 his way through the silk. No sooner was he -u-|*-mled in this impromptu prison than he 

 tried his utmost to work his way through the wall-, but the silk yielded to him and would 

 notojM-n. A minute's exertion ap|>eared to satixfv him. after which he laid himself calmly 

 down. Having been occupied for some little time with this creature. I then soimlit sifter his 

 companion, which hud, however, effected his -ul.t.-n-inean retreat, and was prol:abh two feet 

 beneath the surface. 



" My prisoner was conveyed in safety to my domicile, and was placed in a hinr- tub. over 

 which for security a board was placed, and in which was some earth. The little ^-m It-man 

 was quite at home in his tub, and enjoyed himself amazingly with a Ii.-t of Worms.' To 

 supply him. however, with this luxury was not an easy task; half an hour's digging in a 

 yielding soil brought to light scarcely a sufficient quantity of food for one day's con-umption 

 Small worms of about two inches in length wen* quickly disj.o-.-d of; whilst fine long ones 

 wen- put out of sight in two meals. After feasting njon half a dozen or no. the Mole wmiM 

 look v.-ry much like a boy full of pudding, and appeared to take a little doze. No sooner. 

 however, did a worm give him a flap on the nose with its tail than he awoke, and. with 

 renewed vigor and apj-etite. demolished half a dozen more victims, when he would again -ul>. 

 aide into a quiet .slumber. 



"He lived in great ease and luxury during three days, at the end of which time h.- met 

 an untim.-ly .-nd. The board upon his tub was a'-cideiitally knocked off by an awkward man. 

 who forgot or neglected to replace it. A -ly old tom-cat saw the Mole, and imjielled by his 

 own organ of destructiveness, killed, but would not eat our hero." 



