248 
THE RAT. 
brings forward a dirty, filthy, rusty thing, and then becomes 
so excited, that the perspiration pumps out at every pore of 
his skin, and, by way of assisting it, he stoops down in front 
of a large fire to toast a piece of cheese, herring, or bacon, 
till it becomes a matter of great doubt as to which is most 
greasy of the two, the boy or the bacon. Then when it is 
done he seizes it in his sweaty hand, and after well pawing 
it over, by sticking it on and tearing it off the hook some 
half dozen times, all the time besmearing the trap with his 
other hand, it is pronounced fit to catch a rat 1 But if 
it did, it would astound the whole of the profession ; for 
though we may look upon the rat-trap with so much loath- 
ing and disgust, still, I can tell you, that it is not more 
repillsive to our eyes than is the scent of our hands to the 
sensitive nose of the rat. Consequently, if we do not wish 
to spoil all our efforts, and suffer disappointment, we must 
treat the trap and bait with all the care and gentleness that 
we should the most delicate piece of mechanism ; otherwise 
we destroy its efficacy. 
Having described the wrong way of treating traps, allow 
me to put you in possession of the right method of managing 
them. 
In the first place, let your trap be cleansed from every 
impurity with a brush and water, and then huDg up or put 
in front of the fire to dry. When ready, put on a pair 
of thick gloves scented with two or three drops of the 
oil of anise seed. These gloves may be kept for the purpose. 
That done, then select your bait, which may be a piece of 
cheese, herring, liver, or bacon ; no matter v/hich, for all are 
equally good. 'Now toast it on a fork ; but when you turn 
it, do it on a clean plate with a knife, and not your fingers. 
Then, when it is done, put one drop of the oil of anise seed, or 
caraway, upon a piece of writing-paper, and rub the bait on 
it, and that will produce the desired effect. But if you 
put more than one drop the thing is spoiled, because it 
smells rank, and instead of enticing the rat will drive him 
away. Some fry their baits ; but I do not think it so good 
as toasting or broiling. When all is ready force it on 
the hook with the fork, thus never touching it with the 
hand. After that, see that it is properly set. If it be a 
gin-trap, you must force the bait under the string or wires as 
