Richard and the Mouse

Richard and the Mouse

This is version of the story told by John Robinson, Jr. , Colvin, Nevada.

Richard S. Robinson, called by the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints in the early days of the Church in Utah ,to go to southern Utah as an Indian missionary, settled at Pinto" Utah, about thirty miles north of St. George on the old emigrant wail to California.

He was known throughout southern Utah as a comedian, an entertainer and made many an evening of joy and pleasure for the early settlers.

There was a great many things that they were short of and one of them was clothing. Richard had only two pairs of trousers and the ones he wore for work were in very bad condition.

His Sunday trousers his wife had manufactured from seamless grain sacks.

The sacks had a fancy colored stripe running full length of the sack which were about one inch wide. When the trousers were made the fancy stripes were placed running up and down the outside of the legs. The trouser legs were also lined.

One day Richard had hard luck. He came to the house with a large hole torn in the seat of his work pants. He removed the pants, drew a chair up to the table, sat down and placed his lower limbs clothed in his underwear only, back under the table while his trousers were undergoing repairs.

Sister Coleman, a neighbor woman, came into the room. Richard, with a mischievous grin on his face, remarked, "Now, Sister Coleman, don't you look under the table." They say curiosity killed the cat . One glance and Sister Coleman rushed out of the house. -

The next morning was the Sabbath Day and Sunday School. Richard was out looking after his stock. Sister Coleman slipped quietly into the house, a live mouse in her hands. Entering the bedroom, she seized Richard's trou¬sers, cut a small hole in the lining of the leg, of the trousers , pushed the mouse through the hole, sewed the hole up, and then went to an adjoining room to await the results.

Richard soon rushed in to change clothing and get ready for Sunday School. He at once slipped into the Sunday trousers and buttoned them up. Now Sister Coleman, watching. from another-room, soon decided that she was even with Richard. A band of Indian warriors Would not have caused more excitement for the next few moments.

With a scream like a wild Indian, Richard made one-bound into the ad¬joining room, stooping over as he ran, grabbing first one leg and then the other as the mouse ran first up one leg and then down the other. As he ran he screamed, "Elizabeth! Elizabeth!" calling upon his wife for help.

Richard was placed, in charge of the branch of the Church at Upper Kanab and held that position for ten years. This branch belonged to the Glendale Ward and their records were burned in a fire at Glendale.