Mr. and mrs Brown's adventure with a mouse. Reading.

Mr. and Mrs. Brown's
adventure
with a Mouse

Some nice magic lantern slide sets from the story 'Die Maus oder Die gestörte Nachtruhe', part of: 'Drei Bilderbogen und ihre Entwürfe', written and illustrated by the German author Wilhelm Busch.

This is the original English reading that could be declaimed by a lanternist during his performance:

"Hark ! hark ! said old Brown to his wife Mary Jane, "There ! listen and soon We shall hear it again. Bless the woman, don't snore so; You're shaking the house. Wake up ! what's that noise ? Don't you think it's a mouse ?"	Mrs. Brown had ceased snoring, And now was awake : She afterwards owned She was all of a shake. A mouse was the one thing She dreaded the most : Even more than a housebreaker, Fire, or - a ghost. "Oh ! Solomon, dearie," She coaxingly said, "I think I can hear it Just under my head. There's a stick in the corner, Do get out and look ; It's behind my red petticoat There on the hook." Now Brown was a good-natured man On the whole, So, without more ado, He just managed to roll To his feet on the floor, And then - stealthily crept To the spot where his wife said The stick had been kept. The mouse in the meantime Was no wise inclined To remain on the spot, As though deaf, lame, and blind; So he scampered away With his tail in the air, And ran up the bedpost As fast as a hare. Brown turned himself round, And aimed a fierce blow At the mouse (which of course, Didn't hit him, you know), But, as ill lurk would have it, Alighted instead On the bed-clothes which covered The old woman's head. For the old dame lay covered Quite up in the clothes, With a very small opening Near to her nose, Through which she was breathing At very great pains, While her legs stood upright Like some ancient remains. Now the mouse, who had beaten A rapid retreat, Leaping right over on to The old lady's feet, So tickled her soles With its little sharp claws, That she jumped out of bed Without making one pause.	The mouse ran immediately Under the bed, And Solomon followed With shoulders and head. But the mouse changed his mind, When he saw a fresh chance, Which caused Mrs. Brown To perform a small dance.

In her horror she fled To the opposite side Of the room for a refuge, And opening wide Her new green umbrella, She hid behind that, While Brown tried to catch The poor mouse in his hat. But mice will not walk Into that kind of cage, And Solomon failing Flew into a rage, He flung off his nightcap, And cried, "If I can take But hold of its tail, I will crash it to pancake!"	At length an expedient Rose to his brain, Which made him pursue His poor victim again; He hunted him wildly, He fled helter-skelter, Then ran to the night-cap, And hid there for shelter.	Brown crept up on tiptoe, And grasping it tight, He danced and he capered With joy and delight. "Look here! " he exclaimed, "I have caught it at last." "That's right, dear," his wife said, "Do pray hold it fast ! "

And now it was captured, In close consulation The happy pair settled Its best destination ; A tub, with a lid Firmly held on the top Was the pit into which The poor mouse was to drop.	"Ah, no, Sir," the mouse said, "I'm not such a flat As to fall in with such An arrangement as that." Mrs. Brown gave a scream, "Oh, Solomon, see ! That nasty thing 's hopped From the hole like a flea. Oh! Take it away !! Ah ! ! !- it's under my feet ! " (With sundry things else Which I need not repeat.)	"Oh! it's going down my back Do take it away, I know it will bite me, Oh ! do make haste, pray ! " "Stop, stop, my dear," Brown said, "Don't be in a flurry," (Things are seldom well done If they're done in a hurry.) Then he suddenly seized Its long tail, and so caught it, But scarce to that empty old tub Had he brought it, Than the mouse, twisting round Closed its teeth till they ground. "Oh my finger ! oh ! oh! Mary Jane! here, mamma! Come and take it away ; Here, mother ! I say ! Oh, the pain ! it is dreadful ! Oh, take it off, do! Pray don't be afraid, For it cannot hurt you."

Now his dear Mary Jane, With great presence of mind Seized a bottle of water, Just standing behind, And poured in so much That it rose to the brink ; Then they popped the mouse in And expected he'd sink.	But he swam like a duck, And jumped over the side, And then down the washstand He managed to glide. But Solomon aimed Such a violent blow That, although for the mouse He was rather too slow, He upset his wife, And the basin and all, In one long watery Clattering sprawl.	The mouse made the most Of the sprawl and the clatter, While the neighbours all wondered What could be the matter. He scuttled away to his hole At full speed, And arrived just in time For the family feed, But before disappearing, The mouse, records tell That he turned on his heel And thus wished them farewell,- "Strange people I've seen (Sometimes up, sometimes down), But never before, My dear Solomon Brown, Have I seen in my walks Round the cupboards and shelves, Such a comical pair As your worthy old selves. Give my love to the old lady Stretched on the floor, And when she wakes up Say I hope she'll be sure To hang on the hook, By the side of the door, The old green umbrella We noticed before. When I'm passing this way, 'Twill afford me delight To look in and see you ; I wish you good night.'