But first comes from Sawyer who writes,

Dear Dr. Rider, I am the owner of an arcane bookstore in California and recently a customer told me about

a pamphlet that had circulated the area in the early 1900s called The Rat Catchers Him. He provided no details beyond the title

and the time of its appearance, so I was wondering if perhaps you've heard of it.

I have heard of the rat-catchers hymn, Sawyer.

And I'm not surprised your customer mentioned the piece of music, but did not produce a copy.

There are dozens, if not hundreds of false documents from the turn of the last century floating

about that are said to be the

original despite the fact that it is said to be destroyed. Shortly into the

20th century San San Francisco and nearby areas were struck with rat infestations.

Many of these communities treated it as a public health crisis and paid rat catchers to do their work.

But Faro, California, did not follow suit.

Faro was a gold rush town, one of the most profitable, in fact.

Dozens found their fortune there and then kept their wealth to themselves.

They built mansions and gardens and theatres. They spared no expense

when it came to the construction of their luxuries. When the rats came to Faroe, a San Francisco rat-catcher offered his services.

The people of Faroe gladly accepted his help, but said they would not pay unless he got rid of every single rat. The rat catcher was said to be the best there was in all of California and although taken aback by this condition

he agreed all the same

Weeks passed and the rat catcher went before the mayor of Pharaoh and proclaimed he'd killed every last rat.

But the mayor said he could still hear rats and refuse to pay. The rat catcher attempted to do his work

further but found no rats. He went to the town council and asked for his payment. They too told him that they could also still hear rats.

And so he would not receive any payment.

...