WILD MICE 123 



cleaned herself with great unconcern. I was 

 tempted to believe that she shammed dying. 



" The most interesting thing I ever saw her do 

 was to climb up on her glass of water, sit on the 

 rim, and put both little paws down and scoop up 

 a big double-handful of water and wash her face 

 and head. She made her face very wet, just 

 like a person washing his face. She ate sunflower 

 seeds, and often kept one eye shut a long time 

 on first waking up. After the apple-blossoms 

 came, I kept her box supplied with flowers, 

 such as apple-blossoms, cherry, spruce, maple, 

 and so on. Also I kept her box disinfected, 

 with plenty of good, fresh country dirt. But 

 she stuck to the old wool and feathers, and the 

 little piano-duster." 



The mouse continued hibernating at intervals 

 till May. One damp, chilly morning Miss Burt 

 thought she would add to her pet's coverings, the 

 creature seemed so cold to the touch. "Little 

 by little, much of her bedding of wool had been 

 removed, although she had a pretty good blanket 

 of it left, and the feather duster over her, which 

 she appropriated long ago. So I resolved to carry 

 some bits of flannel to school, and, when I went 

 to her box to give her the extra clothing, again 

 found her as you saw her, rolled up in a ball. 

 I covered her carefully, wrapped her all up, and 



