The Somerset reporter. [volume] (Skowhegan, Me.) 1868-1909, 1892-12-15
A WHITE WOODCHICt


IL IN tltLo lsO II
Wild Iiltir Creature That rrcann" Do
mcsticnted bA kindness III, Long p
RODS nf shop and How lie Looieed bur
ing 1hcm Ills Awakening.
Some ye5r~ no IN Inc sprins wHlc
travelling qn the Belfast Branch railroad
just before arriving at Brook Station !
CHANGED IL be looking out Of III" car
window and 49, curious looking al.
mad run undcra pile If brush IN gravel
pit near the track. concluded at once
that il must he an albn9 woodcuuck a.
my husband had told uc one tad been
seen IA that vicinity At the station 1
hastily procured Il basket. and securu.
tine assistance Of two boys proceeded
without los. Of tlme Ia the gravel PIT.
and oYtrhauliu.. SOM, If the brush ~aau
found the prile. y | had c9njeetuted.
it WAS an albiuo woadchuck about two
thirds grown, pure white. with p3k
eyes, and n saucy u little fellow a. one
would care TO handle. Without muau
difficulty dropped my basket over him.
and securing INN returned to the -fa-
ton, boxed him up and expressed him
home 10 nay husband, with instructions
10 keep him on 1 milk diet until my re-
turn week tier.
On return .s One | found my pet eli
sconced i'll a nest Of cotton, pnrrns away
like a contented kitten. He seemed quife
reeoucilcd L. the restraints Of captivity.
had already become SO tame a II allow
his beautiful SHOW white coat to bc
stroked and seemed especially 10 eulav
gentle strokug about the face. winch /
think Is a characteristic of most VIII
animals and one of the ways of estai-
fishing confidential relations with them.
For the first year his food consisted prin-
cipally of bread and milk. with an Or
casional handful Of planlaiu leaves \
most interesting sight WIS 10 watch hia
while being fed lie would sit up like s,
squirrel. holding his food III his paw.
He soon learned to take his milk from "a
spoon. Graspng 1t near the bowl, BE-
would hold 1t very gracefully nntil tn
milk was all Tapped out: then. with a lii
tie assistance, would return ii To the cup
~ " iiiil anu Ali' a lf'll VIA
his appetite WIS satisfied. Then he woul. !!
90 into his nest, roll himself up like a
kitten and take nap of several hours.
With one exception he never showed hi-
wild. savage nature during the two year,
Of his life in confinement,
Early in the fall the disposition to hi
bernate began to show itself by his lack
of activity, and he remained in his nest
most of the time, his sleep becoming Sc
profound that he could be taken from
the nest without awaking. About NOV
| his sleep for the winter began. H.
WIS placed in the cellar, where the tenn
perature was very even-just above the
freezing point-and here he remained
without being disturbed until the ma
die OF March
During all this time his body remained
cold. and toall outward appearance, hf,
less Ahnul tine time Of his awakening
in March, upon visiting hIn and plHcit g
my hand on his body, found it To b,
quite warm, and after rubbing him fa
few moments he began 10 NaWn and
stretch. but did not get upon h~ tHt
Thu next daV took INN into winn
room in order 10 wa IA tine process ct
awakening. rubbing ui~ bldv and lpa-
for an hour OF more. He seemed quit.
indifferent To my >ohcitudc OH his br
half hut gradually awakened. opcucd
his eyrs, Chartered his teeth aud gay,
that peculiar whicker 50 characteristic
OF Il disturbed Woodehuck.
His efforts to stand upon In, feet WEI,
for sume hours Intellectual. He .cclHed
To- have lost the use nf Them ToWm
night, however. Inc seemed to- regain tuII
control OF all his faculties and partook
Of httle milk. WIS surprised Ia u.
tice bun lttle loss Of fat duru2 thu loa-
period of sleep. He had become ~
ccs-ivclv fat hcfare going into lbs ,lH
ter -lrcp. and expected thai would h.
absoried during that period HI fui
had bceomc long and Of Il beautiful sill
VERY gloss 81 white and silky that II
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