The times. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1890-1903, 1896-02-02
THE GRoUsD NOES ALmANAc.


THE GROUND NOES iLMdNdC.
Or the Fate ola Hard Headed Young Hog
who wouldn't Mind Ills Parents.
(By the late Edward I.orraine)
1t IL we'll known in Virginia that on the
Jay OF February the grounding
wakes up from his winters nap and walks
out Of his hole and looks around him.
and II he does not see his shadow he con-
cludos that the winter is past, and he
can thenceforth commence "a new year of
business and pleasure, but IL he sees his
shadow De forthwith returns TO his hole
and sleeps for six weeks longer. I'm this
connection there is q melancholy story
among the sr1unl-h0g archives
Thel. was once young sround-hos "l
great promise. who had just arrived at
| ihe ae. of hoeho0d. who was his fathers
pride and his mothers pet, for he was
/ their only son. lie had received "a INC
( education and graduated with distinction
/ at the pr1und-h0g institute, but when he
! returned home from college ho was much
pulled up with sclf-conceit and tnn'
[ that Doe knew a great deal more l
I parents or anybody else as YOUNG per-
sons are apt To- do. lie spoke Win siea.
contempt of Ce grounding almanac, and
said than none but ignorant and super
stiuous persons would place any BELIEF
| in f.
| He was a p0sitivist VINO would not be-
! Iove ia ANYTHING that he could not prove
| by mathematical demonstration 7o,
when he saw his beautiful. slender SHADOW
cast upon the hillside. Doe said chat the
winter was gone, and that they were
going 60 have a glorious spring. ana he
/ frisked about in great elee ana asHeu
/ the old folks to take q run with him over
! the hills But they were shocked 40 his
| impious conduct
His father said to him; MY con, dost
| thou not see thy shadow upon the ground
and dost thou not know that this sum
| shine is deceptive. and that. according TO
/ the cround-h0g tradition that has been
| handed down from the very grounding
! that first came out Of Noah's ark, that 10
is sure sign that the winter has not
| passed. follow us back into our hole. and
! LET u8 patiently wait for the appointed
time"
But tho conceited pig-headcd youth only
/ laughed at his father and attempted 90
argue him out Of his well-grounded faith
| He said that it was useless TO tell such
| old weird tales 10 c. TT. g., and asked
! him. with supercilious smile II he could
| tell him how the grOund-hoes were ac-
] cOmmodated IN the ark. If ne rcckoned
old Noah provided piie Of earth for them
10 live I'm. and how tho eround-hoss got
| over 10 this country. whether they swan
or flew over. and many other silly Ques-
tons. which $50 shocked the old hogs that
they left him. and returned 10 their hole
| in sorrow.
Having got ria Of tho old ones the
young one proceeded 20 enjoy himself
according 90 his nature. He first looked
around him for something to eat. for he
! felt hungry after his long winters prlva-
ton. and spying something green on AN
! opposite hin. Doc walked over and found
some young clover on which he made
! a luxurious breakfast Tie then went 10
I a branch which was not far off and took
a few sips of the sparkling water. admir-
| ed himself in the stream which served
as "a loOking-ciaF. and then In high
| state Of oXhiaration from tho refresh
ment OF the inner hog. the bright sun, and
the mild atmosphere he rolled over and
over again. and spread himself on tho
! grass in supreme delight. He then brush
| ed himself off and slicked himself an
over. and concluded that he would go ana
pay n visit 90 his sweetheart, who lived
| about a half mile on. and whom he had
not seen since the last fall
Miss -- received him very erac-
iously. hut begged him to excuse her APP
| nearance. as She had not expected COM
panv and expressed her astonishment at
! his being ont on that day. as the sun was
shining $50 briehtly. Tie laughed heartily
at her surprise and said that Doe dif not
sec why ono day was not as good as an
other. and in fact he thought s.nshiny
days were the best for visiting and was
| sorry 10 see chat she was tainted with H.
~ O.
argue with him on the subject hut DIE
| made such display of his learning. and
! quoted $50 many writer's and authorities
! that she had never even heard ~, that
ho quite sllenced her bat being n female.
Of course did not give up her point.
After several hours agreeable converse
| ton. intersnerscd with "a little love max
ing and Irritation. DE took his leave ana
said that be would cali again tomorrow.
but she ompahtcally told him that ste
! would not receive until that daY SIX
weeks which fretted him very much, rs
he thought that he had triumnhed over
her argument and that she ought 90 have
better sense Sc DE left the premises I'D
a very bad hum0r and vowed that De
would never visit there again. But what
was hir horror when he got % the door
10 find that Doe had been dawdiing away
the time with the fascinating but ohstin-
/ ate Miss the WITH AiA'A NiltAAlr ID
the heavens had been completely over
cast with clouds. and that 70 was snow
ing furlousiv. At FIRST he thought that
he would 20 back and spend the night.
or stay until the storm had passed, on
even stay the whole six weeks II neces-
sarv for he Thought to himself that six
weeks with Miss would not De
such a bad thing. but his pride prevented
him
He could not bear the modification of
acknowledeine himself wrong. and above
all things he dreaded being laughed az.
So ne determined 20 brave the storm.
Tt was but n half mile, and he would so2r
run over But he had not gone halt way
before he was completely blinded ny lne
snow driving In his face. and so became
hewilderod and lost his way, and he
perishod rniserably. q victim TO his self
conceit and bis contempt for the tradi-
tions of his fathers.