The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1897-11-07
ourvrre FARnEn IAN DusEw.
NE turned Strategy Leese on the G~roundhes.
ana the Result was Surprising.

onN - - w
CHESTER. N. Y, Nov. e.-Farmer Bob Van
Duscn of Peenpack was ditching In his meadow
tho other day, and during a pause In his labor
he was surprised to SEQ o grounding placidly
feeding In q patch Of clover, which was green
and Juicy along the edge Of q small spring run
that led across the field. Farmer Van Duzen
had noticed o ~groundhog's hole on high
ground at one side Of the meadow, but h I'D no
idea that its occupant would have the nervo to
coma right out there in broad daylight and
chew the Van Duzen clover right under tho
Van Duzen nose, 30 he resolved to bag the In
cautious and unconventional trespasser, feel
ing that tho capture. under the circumstances.
would reflect credit on his ~dexterity and pro-
vido him with material for an evenings boast
ing down at tho Peenpark store.
Knowing the activlSs and agility of tho
groundhog, and being aware that when enc is
surprised It will make for its hole, no matter
what may stand between 1t ard that hole,
Farmer Van Duzen took of his walstcoat and
spread It on the groundhog's hole.
Now said no, III that grounding is too
quick for me, and reaches Its hole afore 1 knock
1t over, It won't DO able to find the hole, and
while 1t is runnin' round lookin' for 1t, dazed and
perplexod like, Ill git my work in with u club
the clover patch without noticing what was 60
ing on. Farmer Van Duzen picked up u stout
81, club, s. and keeping ga thS Sq SrioEir e9 ,Nws@a him Inn and im!
pudent little beast. He had taken only n few
steps when. tho hungry clover cropper stopped
and started on tho double quick for its hole.
As its course would naturally bring it face to
face with Farmer Van DuZen, that strategic
yeoman after grounding meat stopped and
waited for the game to come up and be killed.
The groundhog, rushed toward Its fate, but It's
fell on the spot where the farmer thought, the
grounding would DO the spry little rodent
The farmer turned round in time to sec the
picked, seeking the hole that had been SO Gun.
ningly and mercilessly masked, but diving with
marvellous precision against the waisteoat
1t, and disa appearing with the vest into what
ever subterranean depths lay beyond, The
was a full minute before Farmer Van Duzen
couldsfnd words to express his surprise. The
Well. III be darned," was what they were.
'armcr Van Duzen walked in q dazed and
p olexed sort Of way himself back TO the hole,
al a, STOPPING down, looked through the dark
portal of the groundhog's haunt. As he gazed
his countenance began to change, Something
bike pis s am ssPpsssioRR had Of PS% een aBB spfore' T %MhoS sim a
word he rushed to the ditch, rushed back to the
n masly SS in..th s' srou nns p,sF; b burr vSS1 The EARTH
was soft, the digging easy. and the farmer
worked like a steam shovel. following tho sub
terranean passage of the groundhog's homo.
But somehow he couldn't come up with what he
was after. He was yet digging away with un-
abated energy when Farmer Lon Decker came
along in a wagon. Farmer Decker stopped his
horses. lie watched Farmer Van Duzen for q
minute or SO as he dug. and then said. in q de-
precating sort of way:
Amt you wastin' a good deal o time, grub
bin for groundhog, Robertf"
Not when I'm grubbin' for this groundhog,
/ ANTI" replied Farmer Van Duzen. between
whaGks with the pick.
How soi'' asked Farmer Decker.
"'Cause!" replied Farmer Van Duzen.
us he more thansthe average run OF ground
hogs in hefti asked Farmer Decker.
MOI exclaimed Far ner Van Duzen, pausing
in his work with the evident intention OF ending
the conversation right there. This pertic'lar
grounding amt q big ono at all. He's q little
one. But he's jest big enough to run away
with a vest O. mine, and that vest o. mine has
got thirty Of the latest dollars in one OF its
pockets that you ever seel'
Then Farmer Van DuZen went on with his
mining. Farmer Decker jumped out OF his
wagon. ran to the ditch and got a shovel and
lent Farmer Van Duzen u hand in the eager
of the way around ono side OF the meadow and
at last rah the grounding and the vest down.
tho former wrapped helplessly in the latter.
Farmer Van DuZcn snatChed his lost property
and shook the grounding out OF 1t. The ground
hog scampered away across the lot, fleeing
all right in the pocket of the vest, and as Farmer
Van Duzen gave a sigh Of relief and mopped
his brow, he remarked to Farmer Decker:
1T amt a powerful sight o. money, but It's a
lee.e:e.tle too much e pay for only one lesson
Then Farmer Van Duzen got into the wagon
with Farmer Decker. They drove down to
Farmer Van Duzen went back to his ditching,
q little while afterward, he had only $29. so.