Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1898-04-11
ADVENT OF SPRING
Signs Of Reviving Life at Geological
Park.
TEE DENIZENS EXPRESS SATISFACTION
Peacock Sings a Song and. the Poet
Makes Rhymes.
INK AND JUST

''In the spring the placid zebu longs to
taste the budding shoots,
| In the spring the armadilo's fancy turns
to shrubs and roots.
! In this month the alligator seems almost
living thing.
And the elephant yearns sadly for the
sawdust- covered ring
From the unpublished Poems of the
| Zoo
1t was by the merest accident that Star
| reporter managed to see the advance sheets
of the above book. Were it not breach OF
| confidence, the name of the author would
be published, but he does not wish it re-
vealed, even when the poems appear in
book form. Like all men of genius, he pre-
fers that he shall be anonymous. It can
he stated, without betrayal ,of confidence,
however, that he is closely connected with
the Zoo. If space permitted, review of
the whole book would be given here. Many
OF the poems are worthy of Alfred Austin
himself. The one entitled why Was
Torn from Sunny Africs Sands is par
ucuiarly touching. In foot note it is
stated that This poem is dedicated to the
ostrich during a snowstorm'
Another lyric which is worthy of repro
duction in any collection of poems was
| called Il Fain Would Live All Ways"
This, 1t was explained in the margin, re-
ferred to the bunch Of snakes in the glass
Enclosed casket in the main animal house.
ana was suggested by the manner in which
they passed the long winter months
oh, How ( Long For Summer Time
again supposed to be the poetic imagery
OF the Canada porcupine, and when I
can Lave My Limbs in Rock Creek Once
Again." inspired ty Dunk" the middle
weight elephant. are two gems that at
cnce attract the reader by their simplicity
and metric Charms
1t was perusal of these that induced
the reporter to visit the colony of exiles
out on Rock creek. 1t was reasoned that
in the direction of "tropic cline and
summer tune just now, when there is
evidence that these times are fast an
preaching, the animals out at the Zoo
would show conclusively that they were
glad. and felt the spring sensations in
them, one and all.
Happy and Contented
An inspection of them showed that they
We're happy and apparently in good spir-
u.s. They were livelier than for many
months when seen by a Star reporter yes
terday and the sentiments contained in
the BOOK or poems previously mentioned
are undoubtedly true to nature and in
spired by an actual state of affairs
All but one of the animals were delighted
WIN the beauty of yesterdays spring-like
cay AS the representative of Spain at
lhe zoo, the hyena was cross, Grabbed
respondent and ugly When it's cage was
approached it skunk back into one corner
showing it's ugly teeth, and it, wicked
eyes, glowing with hatred and ferocity. as
much as to say: IT
Il am hampered now, but if I had
chance in the darkness to slip in on You
without possibility Of injury to myself I
would do it in minute"
ltS whole appearance was repulsive,
Altogether different was the appearance
OF the eagle in it's open cage underneath
Id V. n fhn dau nd ~
moon and stars at night. The magnificent
bird stood majestically on its perch. calm
and dignified, its eyes, bright and clear
n.eetihs those of the visitors fearlessly and
turning upward to thu sun, at which its
gaze WAS directed without blinking, The
bird sat quietly waiting, an emblem of
peace and dignity, occasionally stretching
It's wings and darting it's head forward. as
II showing to what heights it could soar
and how it could protect itself. IL such a
thing were required. ~ :
1T makes person feel more patriotic
Just row to look at that Bird said a man
at the Zoo yesterday.
1t was certainly most sprinplike in every
particular out at the park. The lawns are
as green as they are usually in summer
and the air was ba1my. Some of the trees
nave begun to bud. but vegetation with
the exception of the grass, is not far adj
vanced. 1t will be only short while, how
ever, until the trees ara covered with leaves
and the forerunners Of summer will have
arrived.
PeacOck's joyful Voice.
When the park was reached yesterday
the joyful voice of the peacock was heard
WarblinS song evidently in honor of the
season. No doubt, to the mind OF the pea
cock, 1T was something extraordinarily
fine. 1t did not strike the visitor that
way, however, but 1T served to show that
the bird was bent on doing what it could
to show its pleasure at the arrival of the
time of sunny skies and showers between.
The 'coons have begun to show signs of
great activity. Instead of hanging like
inanimate objects, hornets nests of fur on
the limbs of the dead tree. which has
on the ground, paddle in the pool of water
in their Enclosure and seem to have taken
on a new lease of life.
''Dunk' and "Golidust," the weighty
charges of Head Keeper Blackburne. do not
so much resemble huge icebergs. or noun
tains of flesh, they did a few weeks
ago. These mountains of flesh have evil
IDENTIFY heard the voice of Mahomet in the
shape of spring, and are getting ready
to go to it, or at least meet it half way.
Dunk seemed a little disappointed
when told that there were. as yet. no cir
Gus bills posted up around town, but he
has hopes that he will hear of it before
long. He quoted the following, which he
thought was appropriate to the times:
THE circus days have come again, the
sawdust of the year"
DUNG said that in some respects he
lcpged for the excitement of life ION the
road" again, for he was a member of a
circus troupe, but he is relieved now from
the fear of going through a trestle at any
time, or being smashed up in railroad
vreck.
The best evidences that spring has ar
rived out at the Zoo are the signs posted
up on the outside dens of the animal house
bearing the mystic words, Paint" Head
Keeper Blackburhe is proud of these dens,
and justly. too, for they are the finest ami
NAL cages in this OF any country. Their
annual spring cleaning and painting is
taking plaza just now. 1t is necessary to
keep them painted constantly, othec-
wise they would become rusted. In many
other places about the grounds there are
signs of renovation.
Buried, but Not Dead.
The prairie dogs which have been in
their holes most Of the winter, pop out now
every once in while to show that they are
not dead. just because they were buried.
and catch as much of the sun as they can.
The bears, which are supposed to hibernate
during the cold weather, are unusually act
i've just now, and show that the blood is
coursing freely in their veins, after its
stoppage to a certain extent during the
cold weather. Old Tip the big grizzly