The story is about her good friend John A. Macdonald who owned a pet shop, which specialized in the raising of mice. He sold mice by the thousands all over the world. In his enclosure for the mice, he had placed a large bale of hay. From the dried grass, the mice built a co-operative apartment house. They cut numerous tunnels through it, built hanging gardens, cliff-dwelling pueblos and wonderful balconies on which they raised their young in harmony. It was a happy existence of peace and plenty.
On the lookout for ways to cut costs, John became concerned about the rising price of grain. A neighbor who ran a boarding house offered to supply him daily with leftover food scraps from her tables, which he accepted. But when the leftovers were substituted for the grain, a blight seemed to settle over the mice community. Eating the same food humans ate changed the complexion of the co- operative establishment. Quarrels broke out and battles raged through the baled hay corridors. By the end of the week, dead mice littered the floor of the compound; cannibalistic parents ate their young. The weaker mice were slain without any provocation. Realizing that disaster loomed ahead, John threw out the scraps and went back to the grain. The result was quickly evident. No more mice were found dead or half-eaten.