Iowa County democrat. [volume] (Mineral Point, Wis.) 1877-1938, 1886-12-31
ABOUT WUODCiiUCKS

A Small Boy Thinks They Are ''of the Feather
ed Tribe and Gets Lesson in Natural His
tory,
There is a feeling of good fellowship
which always exists between those who
are interested in the same subjects,
whether it be business, entertainment,
society, recreatiUn, or what not. Those
who meet and have kindred likes or dis
likes are never at loss for conversation,
and leave each other with the idea that
there Is a person who Is pleasant ar d has
good SENSE"
Probably no greater mistake can be
made IN acquiring new friends than to
endeavor to talk about thing unfamiliar
to either one or the other, because it
seems polite, or shows seeming erudItien
1t Is equally offensive to have an acquaint-
ance talk away over your head, or to have
him talk down to what he Imagines to be
your level. Such mistake was made by
the young man at a country party. He
was introduced to city girl, and, tn ink
ing he should show famIliary with city
topics, opened the conversation by say
ing:
Did you go to the opera the other
EVENING""
NO. said the girl.
That stamped the lad, and the CONVEX
satioI came to an end. The next fellow
introduced opened by saying:
Il saw you out riding yesterday; where
did you go?"
Yes; we had a delightful time; went
so and So
That opened the way to pleasant good
fellowship, and after the party she ex-
pressed her opinion of No l as stick"
bat the other was a very nice young man.
No. fired too high. Everybody thinks
that those who like things he likes are
sensible and entertaining. 1t is a very
human trait, and Tom Lyon is no eIcep-
tion to the rule.
Last week among the letters addressed
to the above came one from a small BOY,
and, as his mind seems to tend in the
way of natural history, he must certainly
be very nice boy. His LITTER runs as
follows:
Mr.. To-a LTos-Dear Sir: There was
e question brought up by our teacher
and myself about a woodchuck and
ground hog. Teacher said that a wood |
chuck was of the feathered tribe, and the |
grounding was an animal | am sure a
grounding Is not e woodchUck, having |
caught thirteen in one summer on our /
own farm IN Beaver county; but am not |
sure what voodchuck is, and would like I
very much if you would decide this ques-
sion for me in Sundays Dispatch. |
Please classify each, I like Tom LYONS /
corner the best of all In the Sunday is
sue of the Dispatch. Your little friend, |
j. A. C.
/ sm very sorry to give a decision /
against my hitler friend, but the teacher
is right. Woodchuck asd grounding
are two names for the same animal Ny
boy thinks they cannot be the same be-
cause he caught thirteen ground-hogs.
Now old fellow if you had also caught a
few voo2chucks and found them to be
then ycu would be o. K. but,
you see, you only caught one side of the
argument Il is quite likely that my Lit
lie friend IL confused about the wood
chuck, because there are birds which
have Similar uames-ths woodcock and
xood pecker. woodcock Is game bird
belonging to the snipe family. and every
body knows what a voodpecker is. New
II mind. though, my boy. you show an in
luiriEg mind. and If you study the ami
mails aad birds. insects, and worms. you
will not only End it of great interest
.ome day, but viii know twice as much
about the animal kingdom as your teach
II does-then You may catch the teacher
IA mistake.
The grounding is rather an interest
ing beast anyhow. The sciuridoe or