- mer I happened to be standing near a chicken-coop
in a back yard when I noticed the head of a very gray and grizzled rat thrust from a neighboring rat-hole, and concluded to watch the movements of the veteran. After a careful survey of the surroundings, our old rodent seemed to be satisfied that all was right, and made a cautious exit from the home retreat. A fresh pan of water had been recently placed before the chicken-coop for the use of Mother "Chick" and her interesting brood. These all seemed to have satisfied their thirst, and the water looked a friendly invitation to the thirsty old rat, which immediately started toward it. The rat had not reached the pan before five half-grown young ones rushed ahead and tried to be first at the water. The old rat thereupon immediately made a leap like a kangaroo, and was at the edge of the dish in advance of the foremost of her litter. Then ensued a most remarkable occurrence. The mother rat raised herself on her haunches and bit and scratched her offspring so severely, whenever they attempted to reach the water, that they all finally scudded away, evidently very much astonished and also frightened at the strange and unaccountable behavior of their mother. I was as much astonished as they, and waited with renewed interest the outcome of this remarkable performance. When the little ones were at a safe distance, the reason for her extraordinary behavior began to be revealed at once in the intelligent actions of the old mother rat. She first wet her whiskers in the water, looked suspiciously about her, then very cautiously and carefully took a dainty little sip of the liquid. She tasted it as tentatively and critically as a professional tea-taster, and when she was satisfied that it contained no poisonous of other deleterious matter, she gave a couple of squeaks, which quickly brought her young and thirsty brood to her side, and all fearlessly drank to their fill. Now, this old mother rat was experienced, had evidently learned her lesson in that school thoroughly, and so she would not allow her young and untaught litter to taste water which might have contained rat-poison, or what not, until she had satisfied herself that the liquid was harmless. As I witnessed this little scene in lowly animal life the thought would keep coming, does not this look very like reason?—F. Croll Baum, American Naturalist.
(2621)
Reasoning Successful—See Tact.
REASONS
Lord Mansfield, when a friend of his own
was appointed governor of a West India
island, and complained that he would have
also to sit as a judge and decide cases, which
he dreaded, advised him to decide according
to his notions of common sense, but never
to give his reasons; for, said he, "your judgment
will probably be right, but your reasons
will certainly be wrong." Many years
afterward, Lord Mansfield, while sitting on
Privy Council appeals, had a judgment of
this governor brought before the court,
which seemed so absurd in its reasons that
there was a serious clamor for a recall of
the governor as incompetent. It was found,
however, that the decision itself was perfectly
right. It appeared that at first the
governor acted on Lord Mansfield's advice
by deciding without giving reasons; and
finding that he acquired great reputation by
these decisions, began to think himself a
great lawyer, and then gave his reasons at
length, which had the result above mentioned.
(Text.)—Croake James, "Curiosities of Law and Lawyers."
(2622)
Reasons, Clear—See Good for Evil.
REASONS VERSUS EXCUSES
"What is the difference between a poor
excuse for being late at school and a real
reason for being late? Give an example."
Out come examples of oversleeping or dilly-*dallying
as contrasted with the unavoidable
fact that the cars were blocked. "An excuse
is hollow; a real reason is stout and whole."
"An excuse is a method of concealment; a
good reason is its own justification." So
write my girls. One delightful girl of
twelve explained, "This morning I was late
but I had a real reason. When I went upstairs
after breakfast to feed my animals, my
favorite guinea-pig, Christopher Columbus,
was so sick that he could hardly stand up.
I had to stay and make him comfortable, and
so I was late to school. But the teacher said
it was a good reason." Echoes of the difference
between poor excuses and good reasons
resound for several weeks. "To-day I have
no reason for being late, only an excuse.
I didn't know what time it was, but then I
ought to have found out."
With older pupils I take up more complicated cases illustrating the tendency of any selfish person to deceive himself or herself. "I am traveling from New Hampshire to Boston with a large number of bundles and am delighted to secure an extra seat on
