The Mouse
I
never knew his real name, but everyone called him “Mouse.”
This was Mouse Stinchcomb. He was a painter, a house
painter that is, and a very good one. He was in demand and
kept quite busy. Miss Elizabeth Redwine, the graceful lady
she is, used to call him “Mr. Mouse.” I was only about five
and had a story book about Mr. Mouse and I thought this was
him.
He was a small man. Maybe that’s why everyone called him
“Mouse.” He lived across the street from where Mask’s gas
station is today on Highway 85. Not having an automobile he
walked everywhere he went. He walked with a rapid gait
leaning forward as he went. Usually his dog followed him.
It was a short haired bird dog with brownish red spots and
a big red nose. My family lived in the house with Ms. Jenny
Farrar. The house was located across the street from the
Fayetteville Grammar School and about half way between town
and where Mr. Stinchcomb lived. I always watched for Mr.
Stinchcomb as he walked to and from town almost every day
because I especially liked his dog. I had learned that this
dog was different from other dogs in the neighborhood. Mr.
Stinchcomb treated him like a person and he seemed to
respond. People said that Mr. Stinchcomb would send food,
often meat, back to his wife by the dog while he remained
in town. I’m sure this was true for often I saw the dog
with a package in his mouth trotting back home and then
returning back to town.
This could only happen in a small town like Fayetteville
was back then... like Fayetteville was....