50 THE HISTORY OF A NUT+CRACKER.

tunate young man. ‘That very evening, therefore, she
placed her sugar figures and her biscuits upon
the ledge of the cupboard, where the night
before she had put her sugar-plums and sweet
cakes. Kissing them, :

ith

however, one after | co
pa
(ig

        

  

Se another, as a token | a
of farewell, she yield-

ed up her shepherds, © ~anrir
her  shepherdesses,
and her sheep, concealing behind
the flock at the same time a little
sugar baby with fat round cheeks,
and which she loved above all the
other things.

‘Now really this is too bad 1”
cried the judge’s wife next morning: “it is very clear
that these odious mice have taken up their dwelling in
the glass cupboard ; for all poor Mary’s sugar figures are
eaten up.”

At these words large tears started from Mary’s eyes; but
she dried them up almost directly, and even smiled sweetly
as she thought to herself, ‘‘ What matter my shepherds,
shepherdesses, and sheep, since the Nut+cracker is saved!”

, “ Mamma,” cried Fritz, who was present
at the time, ‘‘I must remind you that
our baker has an excellent grey cat,
which we might send for, and which
would soon put an end to all this by
snapping up the mice one after ano-
ae wtissexd) ther, and even Dame Mousey herself
===" _ afterwards, as well as her son the king.”

‘ Yes,” replied the judge’s wife; ‘‘ but that same cat would
jump upon the tables and shelves, and break my glasses and
cups to pieces.”

“Qh! there is no fear of that!” cried Fritz. ‘‘ The