The Wilmington daily Republican. (Wilmington, Del.) 1890-1902, 1898-02-01

ing In search of inf0rDlation about the
grounding. II Pm not mistaken, you are
from the rural districts and ought to b,
able to bs of service to me. Do you know
anything about the animal?" :
The blue eyes viewed me from head t,
foot, and presently there came the answ er
Zach, nein!"
"Come," 1 thought, "This is a littl
more promising. The other one said h
didn't know of any, but this man say
nine. You're just the man want to see,
continued aloud, 'now, what can yor
toll me of the matter?"
Again camethe puzzled look and re-
iterated Zach, nein nein'
Yes, know you have nine, Responded.
"YOu said that before, didn you? Where
are they and what are they likey Maybe
you'd like to sell one. You'd have eight
left you know"
But now the little man got down from
his perch and poured forth flood of the
most execrable German. l began to com
prohond the stare OF affairs and muster.
ing up what little German l knew,
asked:
"vorstehen slo NIGHT die Englsche
sprachep'' :" ,..
ia, ja a leedle," he answered. =
AREN'T you a farmer?" %.ss
"Ja, Pm i'd" with nod.
Ibid you ever see q groundhn5p"
"Ja, Pm i'd" with another more violent
nod.
- What are yoas'I askei, a srounu-
hog or afarmer?"
"Ja! Nein! Oh. I don't know" aud find
ing my little German friend SO CONFUSED
even on the subject Of his own identity, I
despaired of ali idea of his knowing anx
thing about groundhogs and soon lefs
him.
|" .Ih6w visited the home of an old friend
ofmihe who used to be something of nat
uralist. On ringing his door bell, however,
j.! was informed that he had just left town
for several days. therefore gave up all
hope of finding out any thing about the
matter. The next day, however, luck threw
in my way the very in formation that had
so long sought in vain.
was walking along the street and acci-
dentally pas ed noar group Of coo ed
men, laughing and talking One of them
said something about "Down in Virginny''
and was suddenly reminded that during
one of my campaigns in that part of the
country during the civil war had heard
considerable of tho grounding. stopped
instantly, for this was a chance not to bo
passed by.
"Well. Jackson said (Note-When.
ever you don't know a colored mans
name call him Jackson.) and you are
pretty sure to be right 'Well,, Jackson,
SO you're from the South. are you9'
"'Deed Is, boss" he responded, with
grin.
Jes c)eah, from Red Lion. "Ah. from
Red Lion, are your"
II suppose you know the country about
there pretty well, them"
WELL l jes guess does, boss" and he
displayed even more of his white teeth
than before.
'Evcr hear of little animal called the
grounding down thereP'
ant ohNk
EN-, came the reply.
"Ah," said ], getting even more inter-
ested than before; then want you to tell
me all you know about theu."
Deed, boss, I'd be jes' glad tuh," he
answered, "but heah's Johnny ChaInber.
lain; he's naturally lived among de crit
ters,, an he kin tell yuh loads more'n l L
kin"
PURSUING my inquiries with Mr., Cham.
berlain, another member of the group, I
became the recipient Of the following in.
formations: That tho groundhog Is an
actually existent creature; that he Is moth |
ing ih the shape of q hedgehog, as 1 had |
always Imagined, but ra her resembles the |
squirrel; that he lives upon clover ian |
sich like greens;' that he is a home loving |
little beings and II prevented from euter-
Ing his burrow. will show fight sooner |
than leave 1t; that he Is especially fond Of |
tho banks of creeks where my informant
had seen as many as 20 at d time; and
finally that here in the North heis known
as the wOodchuck.
So, then, the groundhog is nothing moro
nor less than the old familiar woodchuckI
This may not DO news to some of my read.
ers, but 1t certainly was news to me. Mr.,
information may not be
entirely correct, however. but hc Is an |
fellow and spoke as If he
knew what he was talking about, and
give it to you as be gave 1t to me, for what it
Is worth.
The new snow .plow of the New Castle
electric railway WAS tested yesterday. In
passing through switch the shears caught
md part OF the bumper was broken and
therefore had to be retured to tho barn.
ieorge McNitt was in the car at the time
md received 4 lively shaking I'D.
A horse belonging to William Deakyne
ell on the street yesterday.
Harry McNally was given'a nice dump
nto bank of snow by the upsetting Of
lis sleigh.
james Linus returned homo Yesterday
rom COatesville, where he has been at
YORK, He reports that times are iively-in
hat hustling town.
Miss Maud Hewlett and Mrs. Newkirk
re In Philadelphia on visit to friends.
About one hundred persons attended the
eoture given by Rev. ]. b. Maxwell in tho
=. Church last evening on "Fools and
heir Folly"
John Fleming will shortly remove from
fifth to Harmony street,
n William Rainey will give up housekeep.
ng and will remove to Wilmington where
o Will reside at the Merritt House.