New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1858-01-08
a Smart Squirrel.


Me-. N. r. Willis tells squirrel story in the Home
< Journal. BE and two editorial guests it seems were
enjoying an Autumn ramble in the woods, when in
the midst Of their walking and talking there appeared
The hero OF the following narrative, seating himself
mot far away in his auto-easy chair Of taller
Whether frightened at the lyeness Of our friend s
well known powers of description, or at the slight
French accent that still fingers in his wonderful u-
ency OF English, the squirrel at the first rush OF en-
phasis in the Baron's tale, started from his Down
went those eHviable limbs that serve alike The pur-
poses Of legs or arms, and away he scndded up the
bank. But the bank was Steep and the gestculating
arms Of the tall foreigner looked formidably prehen-
siie- There was but one alternatiye-the bridge
across the chasms Bat alas with his loss Of conf
dence the little cornmongers usual foresight had for
zkeR him. He did not look ahead far enough to see
that instead OF taking him to the safe side of the glen
the bridge ended in the very center Of large
town in Cappad0cia.~ Dana was astride of the far
end Of that single plank, his formidable lap present
ing tolgate that there was manner Of getting
Eoand. Twothrds across before he discovered this
the fugitive turned to 60 back. But, with the quick
ness q practced spokesman, De Trobrand had closed
up the retreat Stopping bis story at the sight Of
the squirrels bunder be spIang to the bridge drop
ped his Partisan boots on either side OF the plank
and there sat the two-a parenthesis Of editors in
closing very reasonably frightened topic Of discus
sion
And now comes a phenomenon Of natural history
60 which beg to call the attention Of Prof Agassisl
After running backward add forward, in terrified
came TO stand-stl and proceeded cooly to reason
upon ii. He looked first at side and then at the
other. The two ends Of the plank were laid on the
lodges Of the two opposite banks and by jumping
the haFricadc Of the Tribune on one side or
that Of the Courier des Etats Uns on the other he
might at least land on a rocky precipice. with the
danger only OF slipping Oh as he should alight, and
20 falling into the torrent below
Aud this he decided to do but observe the almost
human reason shown in his two or three subsequent
exgedients
you understand Of the tamias ystefi with pockets
In bis face) were swollen to their utmost dsienson
wish his mornings pickup Of pfovender. With
knowing attenuation Of his sharp eyes from one des
perate outlet to the other, he evidently made up his
mind that would be easier 10 overleap the French
man than the Yankee but he came to the conclusion
also after carefully measuring the jump that be could
not do II and carry weight. He quietly disgorged,
therefore, upon the center Of the plank eight or ten
kerues0f corn, and, thus ghtened, ran to the edge
But here new thought occurred to him.
Yen reeolleot the long hickory saplng which serves
As halustrade to that otherwise giddy bridge over
she torrent Up one OF the pine cleats which support
the slight railing ran the squirrel, evidently seeing
mat he could jump 70 more advantage from this
higher point Bat sitting here for moment, 10
gather bis courage and his forces he behought him
SELF that, with the jump thus made easier he might
4 carry more weight and, descending again to the
bridge, he picked up onehaf Of bis previously dis
goFged corn stored it safely ia his cheek pockets as
cended again TO the top Of the railing, and made the
y leap he had previously projected. To my great re-
sief he aghted safely, and with the wreck he had
saved from bis threatened bankruptcy, be up the
aianting ledge Of the precipce and disappeared.
Here were certainly evidences Of uncommon intel.
Agence in this little animal-his sudden command Of
cooness ia emergency his deliberate choice between
two evils, his prudential essening Of hindrance his
y Reconsideration of plan after new light upon the
matter and the final proof how wisely he had calcu-
lated the possible savings from his first over hasty
= assignment" and how well he had measured his
powers for the less desperate leap. II Is a story
Mosthy Of perusal in Wall street. or Of copying into
Thompson's Banknote Reporter.
psua. lage iown Of cappadoca lcassical Dictonary