Sneaky Pie for President Read Online Free PDF Page B

and served as Virginia’s governor—working on all manner of things—would wind up president? I mean, everyone knew General Washington would be president, but, well, Jefferson had to fight for it when his time came. Just as we’ll fight for it now.”
    “Why ever bother? Mr. Jefferson didn’t much like being president.” The smallest mouse uttered this with pride. “It’s not even on his grave monument, which he designed.”
    “He said he didn’t like being president.” Pewter thought all that denial suspicious. “But he pressed on, didn’t he?”
    “Once you’re in the traces, how do you cut them?” The middle mouse, also a bit fat, chimed in: “He was stuck.”
    “He was vain.” Tally finally spoke to the mice. “Humans all think they can make such a big difference. Time washes all their so-called accomplishments away.”
    “Not Mr. Jefferson’s work,” Sneaky corrected her friend. “Think of all that he wrote. And he sent Lewis and Clark on their way. And what about the 1803 Louisiana Purchase? Then again, maybe you’re right, Mr. Mouse, hecouldn’t kick over the traces. I might be vain, Tally might be right, but at least my vanity serves you all. We have little choice but to stop the madness.”
    “People, you mean, nuclear stuff—that kind of madness?” asked the little mouse. “We hear about all that, even up here.” The little mouse grew sober.
    “And it will creep closer and closer if we don’t speak up, organize,” said Sneaky. “So I am here to ask for your blessing. What could mean more than to have Mr. Jefferson’s mice endorsing my campaign? And don’t think people won’t notice that mice are supporting a cat.”
    Flattered, the mice chattered in a group. Then the medium-sized mouse stepped forward to play devil’s advocate. “We’re safe here. Who would disturb Monticello? Who would even put out a cigarette butt on Mr. Jefferson’s walkway, much less bomb the place? We have no need of politics.”
    “Oh, but you do,” Sneaky warned. “Monticello is a symbol to the world of freedom. There are people out there who fear freedom for other people, and of course we know they care nothing for animals. Those enemies are outside our country’s borders, and within, as well. People who want to control others, who want to put the bit in a human’s mouth like they do a horse. Support from Monticello’s mice would be wonderful, and think about this if you don’t think much of me: How long before the exterminatorfogs out this dome? There’s more and more human regulation. All that has to happen is someone sees evidence that you live here and it’s curtains!”
    “Oh, no!” The little mouse wrung his front paws.
    “They’re losing their reason,” Sneaky said, off and running in her speechifying mode.
    “They think they have a greater right to this house than you do,” Pewter added, fueling the fire.
    “But we were born in this house!” the big mouse squeaked. “We have document fragments that our great- and great-great-great-grandparents saved from the wastebaskets. We have fragments of Mr. Jefferson’s notes. Have they no shame? How dare they!”
    “They can and they will if we don’t stand up for our rights. We are all Americans.” Sneaky was getting the hang of campaigning.
    The big mouse stepped forward. “When the time is right, we will publicly support you.”
    After warm goodbyes, the three visitors retraced their steps and met up with Tucker, promising to tell her everything later. Silently dashing under the sleeping wren’s tree, they reached the truck just as people were gathered on the front steps of the director’s house. Their historical meeting was over, but they couldn’t stop talking. Humans everywhere seemed to love the sound of their own voices.
    Sneaky, the leanest and most athletic of the animals,hunkered down, then sprang up, sailing through the window. She pushed on the door latch so Tally, Tucker, and Pewter could scramble in. It was