The Red Cloud chief., 1888-10-26
PASTURE OvUoIGo.
ne Amss,ss WsSs 81 \ CNSVosse .
the 1~sdsDsaaess WsS1eksso.

-
Among tho rocks and hollo~s of tho
pasture. society is. perhaps. ~ nearly
| upon q communicate basis ne VI can Gnd
| II Ia Nature outsidc the bec-ce!l and tho
ant-hill. There arc no rich holdings.
The thin blonde grass 10 free 10 MI.
and gives nourishmcnt 10 tho cows.
who spend The long day In threading
their way between rocks and bushes.
cropping mou,hiuis III iss sweetness as
they 20. and weaving n network OF
objectl.ss paths through the -wampy
gruwth. aud swcet-fcrn. The chip.
hunks keep house under the boxlders.
and scainpcr out 10 sun themselves. In
kit'enish attitudes, on rocky lodges.
In summer they vary their diet OF nuts
by an occasional berry. ] watched
one lately helping himself to tho low.
est raspberry from u low.hanging
branch, picking IL d~nintily with his
fprepaws. and holding IL up to Eat NJ IL
II were "a nut. They are the ,amest of
our wild creatures. have known ono
10 come daily from his hole 10 the ar
u'u Wht w JUN WIG tNNbv - ii'hf-
time; by degrees he became venture
some. and oncc or twice he crossed the
threshold of the farmhouse, and picked
up from the kitchen door crumbs that
must have had - q flavor 10 his
palate.
Another pasture mammal. though no
IL also u denizen of tho meadow. and
was chris'"ncd In the cops. Is tho wood.
chuck. lie /, not 10 be- lur"d by tho
wilc- 81 civilization; he takes kindly 10
its fruits. but will none Of is yoke. |
held an interview. brief but half init.
mate. with n woplchuck the other day.
In which my fancy vas captivatcd hy
that idea Of 10 possible kln-hip with
wild ~four-fooicd things that haunted
Hawthorne and Ihorcau; but ! could
perceive that the comradc ,hip was all
on one side. and that my companion
received but small pleasure, and had 40
intention VI imIs,rting any IL was on
II logging ruad which struck away from
the pasture into u wood. a half.grown
wOodchuck ud RANGED from under tho
w W ~ 80 w hN' p"'is Wv
stopped on seeing me. He held thrvc
leaves In his teeth. I also called u halt.
and we stood looking Mt each other.
His little nose quivercd with u motion
all It's own. and his round body ro,o
and fell In longer waves ~ respiration.
Both of us shirksd the initiative for u
time; II last ! withdrew u little 10 givo
him confidence and an opportunity 10
resume his way, but he did lot bulge.
"" may have been parnlyzcd In his lit
tie woodohuck heart. but he did not
look frightened. AZ the risk Of brin!,
set down as unpoctic in my conclusions.
! will say thnt he looked like II shrcwd
Yankee w~oUdchuck, who waited 10 $50
his ncighbor's pile before making his
own. lmpclicd by II curiosity To SEQ
how far his terror or his courage would
60. ] stepped up - him and took ono
Of the leaves from between his teeth.
lie made u little snap at my hand. then
drew himself together and chartered
nj me with n wild CLEAN In his eye. ~
~cOuntcnancr more In anger than ex-
prcssivc Of fear or any other sentiment.
II was not till | had removed to dis
lance aud waited for some moments
that he took to his heels. and then they
carried him down tho wooded slope at
u pace which put further intercour-o
out Of the question. Sophia K,rk, ~
atlantic.