The Kenosha telegraph. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1860-1888, 1878-04-11
Little Willy.

Little Willy.
DO any OF the Wide AaUake boys take
n interest in Opossums?
During protracted stay in Australia,
had many opportunities of observing
he froicsome gambols of these woolly
Ives OF the forests. They were widely
emoved from the sluggish OF
stupid little creatures they seem to
g in America.
[ have seen one of our fields left in
ne evening ready for the next days
arting the rich, heavy sheaves nicely
ct up and capped " in compact shocks.
INNING from end to end of "pad-
ock" Of thirty acres; and [ have visit
d the same field in the morning, to be
aluctantly convinced that my favorite
possums were really the mischievous
nps all Australians consider them.
Scarcely line of shocks remained as
was but, instead, numbers lay pros
rate, the sheayes scattered, the bands
ntled, and the heavy corn beaten and
rampled down, partly eaten, and scat
cred about in Woful waste and disorder.
The chief scenes of the destruction
we're within wide circles around several
'ery large dead gum-trees, which had
been slnged and left to perish and up
md down these trees, and among their
great bare branches, and round about
he shocks of corn, it appeared that the
naddest OF the opossums' revels had
gone on.
kept one of the common species.
famed, in my house for some months,
and learned their troublesome activity
700 well.
One of our servants, when out at
night shooting them, killed two does
as the female opossums are called
each having a young one in her pouch.
And these he brought to me. They
were then about two-thirds the size Of
an ordinary squirrel grayish- brown.
sott-furred, sweet-faced little creatures,
and / was as delighted with my prize as
child, and directly ordered 3 large
tea-chest to be made into cage with
thin bars and door on one side.
AS the man went on preparing the
new abode he observed quietly:
"Ah, miss I've known many q peo-
pie as KEEP tame 'possums, but never
a one as wasn't glad to be quit of 'em
again |"
This, however, I treated as most un-
worthy prejudice, and it diminished
nothing of my zeal for the comfort of
my poor little orphan pets.
gave them a warm bed of wool and
fresh hay, in which they hid themselves
during the day, clasping each other
with their paws and tails into one round
bali. 1 fed them with bread soaked
in milk and sweetened; but for the first
few evenings [ had to give it to them
very carefully on account of their sharp
little teeth and claws. Afterward thev
fed themselves, picking piece out Of
the saucer and holding it in their fore
paws, which, as well as the hind feet.
have the toes so long and slender as to
seem just like fingers; and in these little
creatures the texture and color of the
skin was soft and fair, quite delicate
pink, like baby's fingers.
They grew fast and played with each
other at night, and after time began tc
eat young corn, grass and parsley, One
day, when clipping the thyme in my
hower-beds, | unfortunately offered then
q small bit in blossom. One of them re-
fused it; but the other ate small sprie
and coiled itself up to sleep again. 4
friend, dining with me that day, hearing
me mention having given some thyme tx
the opossum, Immediately said that i
would die.
At night, when the cage was, as usual
arried in from the veranda to the hall
saw that the one which had eaten the
hyme was i'll and would not touch it,
food. Its eyes were dim, it's nose no
and dry, My attempts to relieve it wer,
all unavailing and it grew rapidly wors,
not noticing the Efforts of its it'll,
companion to rouse itup to play as usua
and in the morning it was dead.
The survivor, little Willy, continued
growing and thriving we'll and soo1
learned to unfasten his cage and let him
self out into the hall, and then such ,
scampering and scrambling and leapins
and scuf1ing began as no decent house
hold who did not keep g tame 'possums'
ever heard before.
Up the wall and along the row of ha
pegs, knocking off all the hats and para
soils to begin with then, before you ha,
time to catch a glimpse Of him, friskin,
into the parlor, twisting his long tail owe
the top Of chair and swinging by
gently to and fro, till, suddenly. he take
aim at the sideboard, springs upon that
kicking off everything in his way, such a
q stray decanter or vase of flowers the
ne runs around the back to the cente
scroll work where he sits plotting ney
mischief, though seeming wholly occu
pied combing his whiskers with a fore
paw. Ii my open work-box were on tn
table, he made it rule to spring nc
hook his tail into it, and straightwa
upset the whole apparatus, flying befor
the scattered contents INTO a corner on