The Man Is A Mouser

The three “women” at our house look on our handsome cat, Lloyd, as another man in our midst, one who never scolds or criticizes us and accepts our attention and praise without becoming affected because he is, by nature, indifferent to our words. Lloyd surprised us recently when we found a dead mouse lying in the hall, center stage to the doors of all our bedrooms. I decided it was his way of leaving it on the doormat.

I looked twice, believing it was a hairball but knowing that Lloyd rarely coughs or has problems of that sort. Recognizing it as one of the mousy culprits that we suspected for some time had been sneaking about, mostly in our kitchen, I was almost relieved.

We were pleased that our male kitty, though neutered, had bothered to catch a mouse. We attributed the kill to Lloyd’s relentlessly playful nature, although I noticed he seemed to camp in front of our stove, gazing across from his sprawl at the gap between the kitchen floor and the drawer below the oven. Under our electric stove a gas line, which we don’t use, comes from the basement through a small hole in the floor – a perfect path for intruders. I haven’t bothered to close it off on the few occasions when I moved the appliances to clean.       

Lloyd, who is not always allowed to roam free from his mistress’ room, suddenly sensed this spot for its potential while all else was quiet and was able to prove himself again within 24 hours. This time, the novelty of the prize had worn off. Instead of proudly depositing the second mouse for all to view, he left it in the kitchen – probably not far from where it had been killed.

The next day, we heard the rushing pummel of his little feet and decided he was at it again.

This time we saw a furry, gray wretch tear across Jo’s bedroom carpet to safety under the closed closet door. (to be continued)

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I share the following letter because the book mentioned may be of interest to readers.

In reading your column a few weeks ago, I noted the reference to our Monday Club and its establishment in 1903. You wrote “We members are proud to believe that it is likely one of the oldest clubs of its type in the state.” I want to write that we here in Kinsman, Ohio, have a literary club that is even older, having been organized in 1897 and continuing since. We are called the Bay View Club. In 1897 it was named the Kinsman Bay view Reading Circle. The object: “To secure literary culture and to provide a social setting.” This year, we are reading a book by Andrew R.L. Cayton, History Professor at Miami U. in Oxford, Ohio titled The History of a People.* Members (presently 19 – limited to 20) are taking it chapter by chapter with discussion and comments following.

I hope you continue to find great pleasure in your club as we do.

Margaret L. Brest, Pres.

Bay View Club

Kinsman, Ohio





* Andrew R.L. Cayton, an historian and writer/co-writer of several books, is a professor at Miami University specializing in the history of trans-Appalachian North America in the 18th and 19th century. His 2002 book, Ohio: A History and I