Harold Thompson. who attended school in Southampton, recalled an amusing event in his high school days:

I didn’t live too far from the school and I used to light the fire in the morning. On this particular morning, it was very , very cold. A little mouse had got stuck underneath the stove. The fire got going a little bit and he thawed out and stuck his little nose out a few times. I said, “Boy if you come out here again I am going to catch you. " I waited, finally got a hold of him and then wondered what I would do with him? I took a little string and tied it, around his leg, and then tied him to the bell with the wooded handle that sat on the teacher’s desk. It came closer to school time, and I began to think they he should go free. The teacher came too soon. A lot of the kids knew what was taking place, and they were all in their seats waiting for the teacher to ring the bell. I looked guiltier every minute. The teacher went up, gave the bell a couple of swings, and the poor little mouse almost flew up and hit her in the nose. She threw the bell on the floor. It wasn’t difficult to tell who was guilty, my face had the expression right. there.

\

Interview with Harold and Kit Thompson, St. Peters Buy, 28'" April 2000.

301