Spirit of the age. [volume] (Woodstock, Vt.) 1845-1913, 1877-12-12
WOOdWard's Ground HOg.


business, an excellent amateur natural
ist and indefatigable seeker for speci
mems of rare and remarkable animals
to delight the eyes of the children, fol
whom wild beasts, from white rab
bit or guinea pig up to a sea lion OF
the grizzly bear, always have an mex
pressible charm. He is continually
on the Qen vive fora white blackbird
or a bushy-tailed rat /; and it is sol
emnly affirmed by his employees that
when he finds q new natural curiosity
he repairs to the grotto where the
owls live, and gravely stands on bis
head in delight, while the wise birds
contemplate the spectacles in dumb
amazement. A few days ago Mr.
Woodward found on his breakfast ta
BILE the following letter, which he read
with keen delight:
SAN Francisco, Get. "a, 1877.
r. B. Woodward :
DEAR SIR-I have lately returned
from the East, bringing with me fine
specimen of ground hog, for which |
have no use, and should be pleased to
present it to you to add to your al
ready attractive menagerie. Should
you wish it send to my office, 25S
Market street. Respectfully yours,
G. X. HAWKES..
Mr.. Woodward's heart flew up into
his throat, creating such shock that
the serving girl timidly asked if he
didn't hear the house shake, and if ii
wasn't an earthquake. But the man Of
zoology was too excited to explain
He left his watfies and coffee to grow
cold, and, seizlng his hat, ran down tc
his Office and dispatched a messenger
to Mr.. Hawkes. with his compliments
and kindest regards, and would be
overjoyed to receive such generous
and invaluable present, etc. The mes
senger returned, stating that the
ground hog could be obtained on ap.
plica,ion. Mr.. Woodward, for the
sake OF ceremony, waited an hour or
more, and then sent a man with an
express wagon tor the animal. The
latter returned, stating that the ami
NAL was not quite ready for transpor.
tatlon. as box would have to be pre-.
pared for his safe transit. Several
times the messenger called on MIR.
Hawkes., to receive the same answer.
Mr.. Woodward's wild impatence may
be more easily imagined than describ-
ed. Finally, on the second day, MIR.
Hawkes. announced that the animal
was ready. The expressman, who
had caught the coutagion from Mr..
Woodward, has himself become eager
to behold this rare specimen, but, to
his disappointment, the little beast
was snugly encased in a wooden box,
perforated with auger holes to allow
him to breathe, and he was afraid to
apply his eye to the hole lest the ami
NAL might scratch it out. So he bot
tied his lmpatience, put the precious
box into his wagon and drove off at a
lively trot to the gardens. Here he
found Mr.. Woodward pacing the
graveled walk in great excitement.
The box was tenderly taken from the
wagon, and Mr.. Woodward, followed
by his hired naturalist, the expressman
and one or two scientific gentlemen
invited to be present, went into an
air-tight room and carefully closed the
door. The screws were caustiously
taken out, the cover was lifted, the
eager group crowded around the
box and stared down into Its depths.
Good heavens y calculated MIR.
woodward, staggering back upon the
corns of the expressman, who writhed
in pain. ''Sakes alive !" exclaimed
the scientific gentlemen. "Great
father !" shouted the naturalist.
After Mr.. Woodward had kicked
the expressman out into the street
and assaulted the naturalist with q
kuite-the latter gentleman having
rasbly observed that it was certainly
a very fine specimen Of a ground hog
he became somewhat cooler and in
dited the following note To 4 aMr.
Hawkes., enclosing therein a free
pass to the Gardens for ninety-nine
years:
Yours OF the oath received yester.
day p. IN. Many thanks for the ami
nal. Yours Truly,
II. B. WOODWARD.
Visitors at the Gardens yesterday
remarked with surprise the presence
,,f Gatlino ,vnn inst inSi1o the oatcs