Raymond S. Spears

“ People said Old Treman was demented, because he had three or four little mice that would sit on their haunches and nibble bits of corn pone from his fingers, but Noscoe knew better. His father, Noscoe knew, was a greater man than people realized, and if Noscoe had not married, the father and son would have still dwelt together and saved up money on their driftings and catchings. ”

“ Dayle declared angrily that there were mice on their boat. Noscoe laughed and said that possibly the animals knew the Dayles were friendly toward them, but Mrs. Dayle declared sharply that whatever he Dayles might be, she wasn't a Dayle nor any relation to the Dayles except by marriage, and she wouldn't have anything to do with mice except to drown or trap them. ”

“ They were the diaries of a shanty boater. Hardly a page that did not mention, in fine, even script, mice of various names. One notebook, which was half full, recorded the catch of fur from mid-November to December nineteenth.
Cold's a comin. Takin up traps an goin to drap down with feller name of toby, who come down in a skift las week an staid by me a few days, an slepin on board, but I kepe my eyes on him. Caint trust strange fellers. “He'd lived longer if he hadn't taken on more company than his mice,” Noscoe muttered, shaking his head. “Po'r old daddy! He always did like company! ”