The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1893-07-10
YARMINTy IN THE PARK,
An interrupted Discussion Between Mr..
burns and Naturalist Dineen.

burns and Naturalist Dlneen.
What! 1900 year for clearing the Park Of
varmints. is IT." asked Naturalist Dneen
The naturalist, in this instance. did not use the
word varmints In It's most highly inclusive
sense. for what he had In mind was rats and
rabbits. whereas he mentally adds to the list
cats and schoolboys on vacation. The natural
ist and his friend. Mr.. Patrick Burns. are
deeply interested in the proposition of pro.
fessional rat catcher to kill all the rats In
Central Park at an annual salary considerably
exceeding that Of those conspicuous orna.
ments OF the public grounds. the sparrow
policemen. 1t does not become a student Of
swans. like the naturalist, or student Of
human nature. like his friend Burns to waste
time on such creatures as rats and
rabbits. but q born observer cannot
we'll help taking note OF what goes on beneath
naturalist and. his friend possess between
them a considerable stock Of Information
fest Central Park. They concur in declaring
that while the rats are perennial In the region
the Gre S
BIRDS great and small in ether parts Of the
long continued cold drove lost Of them to the
whsR Se to al.
Gy s Soa sa Ts 9DS
thriSon. not only only UPON bon the natsral lists lists
S S, bat even upon his young water fowl
galates this year, as the widowed, swan. in Q
1T Of a., mean AL has destroyed her eggs
while the two duckltngs that are the sole
young SSmp ab3 Ct the Park are far too
Il esas q the H
rats have been seen about the small arms Of
09S aG shs
belief Of Mr.; Dineen that no human agency
Ing such disturbance as woul Id produce a
panic among the harmless depizens .of tho
e sd af p he q he
ahs habits
snout rabbits; because the lawn that fronts
ing and evening One OF the young rabbita,
sstraysd TGm its burEoT in thS hard
the other day. II hunted him." said 9r.
o to ahs dea tha
had driven the audacious intruder into the
AS Mr.. Dineen and Mr.. Burns sat side by side
upon shaded park bench overlooking the vel.
vet lawn in front Of the latter's cottage. and
sented an ideal picture Of useful and ii happy hy
ola age: Mr.. Dinesn. by virtue Of thtrty-lve
years service, 18 dean OF the faculty up at
Central Park and Mr.. Burns who has served
the department since 1853 comes next to him
in authority and consideration. They are BY
turns friends and enemies, and always insep-
arabic and disputatious crones. A scholarly
dction is native to Mr.. Burnss tongue. and the
subject OF envious admiration upon the part OF
the naturalist But they possess in commona
rich brogue that ornaments even Mr.. Burns's
occasional Latinity. 1t was payday when
mints; and no one may guess to what length
this chronicle might have been drawn OUT but
for notb the sudden de appearance shuiiinE aongs
clad In clean checked jumper. and smoking
q Guilty pipe. At sight OF him both old men
dropped the subject Of varmints. and the
naturalist called after him in a rauoous voice.
bidding him make haste lest he miss the pay
master The naturalist added many epithets
old man and Mr.. Burnss voice was also lifted
up In threats and admonitions. The two
ssronies. now IN chorus, now by turns called
4 lad; caught shirking by hard taskmaster
ne hastened out of sight behind leafy
screen. Then. both old fellows chuckled
at their mischief. and the naturalist
said. patronizingly. In answer to
query. It's juet one o. thin poor laborers"
Mr.. Burns took very black pipe from hls
mouth long enough to say: Its remarkable
The stoopldity o. some O. thin ould Oirishmen.
But then he's been here only swim or eight