The Leon reporter. (Leon, Iowa) 1887-1930, 1901-07-18
Fuzzy, tho Wood chuck.

Fuzzy, tho Woodchuck.
Dorothy lived with her grandpar-
ents on little farm among the noun
talns. Sc loved animals, and was
never without pet of some kind. One
day as Dorothy's grandfather was
taking the cow to pasture, he noticed
three little creatures playing near a
large rock. He thought they were
young foxes, and he started to catch
one; but before he could reach the
place, two of the little fellows had
tumbled into their hole. The other was
about half way in when Dorothy's
grandfather grabbed him. 1t was not
a fox, but baby woodchuck-a queer,
fuzzy, little ball of fur, with beady
black eyes, stumpy tail, and big yell
low teeth. The baby woodchuck bit
and scratched and struggled to get
away. But at last he was tied in a
and then he was carried
10 Dorothy. Dorothy was delighted
with this new strange pet; and though
her grandfather said woodchucks rare
ly became tame, she was sure this one
would. She named him Fuzzy" and
then took down her old squirrel cage,
and lined it with soft hay and placed
him in it, with some fresh-cut clover
and little dish of water. For few
days Fuzzy was very wild. He be-
haved very badly. He insisted on
splitting his water, and he would snap
and bite whenever his little mistress
replaced it. But by-and-by he saw
that Dorothy did not mean to hurt
him. Then he gave up biting. In two
weeks he would drink from his dish
without upsetting it, and would nibble
clover from Dorothy's hand, and let
her scratch his funny little head. In
month Fuzzy had grown to twice his
size, and had become so tame that he
would let Dorothy take him in her
arms and carry him about. One day
little Dorothy forgot to fasten the
cage door and Fuzzy walked out. But
he did not go far, and went back to
his cage of his own accord. The door
was never fastened again, and all day
long Fuzzy would play about the YER
anda or hibble grass in front Of the
house, but he always returned to his
wire house for the night.
One day Dorothy's grandmother was
baking cookies, and she gave one to
Fuzzy 1t was funny to see tae little
woodchuck taste it then taste again.
as If he were not quite able 80 make
up his mind whether he liked i: or not.
Finally he decided that he Sic like
It and he ate it ALL From tl1is time,
cnokies were his favorite fold. AS
sson as Dorothy's grandmother began
to bake he would run to the kitchen,
snd sit on his launches in the door
way, and wait patiently ra.il his
cooky was given him; then be- would
scamper off to one of his grassy hooks
and eat it at his leisure. Several times
during the summer Fuzzy wandered
off to the woods and spent the day.
At last one cool October day Fuzzy
went off and did not return. Dorothy
was afraid some one had killed him.
All winter long she mourned for
Fuzzy. One fine morning in April as
Dorothy was walking down the road
with her grandfather they espied a big
red woodchuck sitting on a ssuu,p in
a field. "Oh, grandpa" cried Doro-
thy, see that woodchucs, dossa'. he
look just like my dear old Euzzye~
Perhaps it is Fuzzy said her grand
father. Call him and see" Stepping
to the side of the road. Dorothy waved
her hands and called. Fuzzy, Fuzzy.
come here. Fuzzy" And what do
you think happened? Why, the big
red woodchuck first looked at Doro-
thy for minute. with his head on one
side, and then came running across
the field-and it was her dear old
Fuzzy. coming back to her after his
long winter sleep.
Dorothy took the great red fellow
in her arms and Rugged and kissed
him. Fuzzy seemed to share her de.
light. He rubbed his nose against her
cheek and grumbled down in his
throat as woodchucks do when they
are pleased.
OF course Dorothy carried Fuzzy
home and fed and petted him, to make
up for all the time he had been away.
That afternoon Dorothy's grandma got
out her baking tins and rolling pin.
And the moment Fuzzy heard the
sound, he started up and ran to the
kitchen door, and took his place
again, to wait for his cooky. During
his long winter sleep he had not for
gotten about the cookies. One day
Dorothy's grandpa found that his
vegetables had been nibbled off, and
as Fuzzy had never been known to
go into the garden he thought some
wild woodchuck had made his home
close by to be near Fuzzy That night
he set a trap. The next day when he
visited the trap, there. caught fast by
one Leg. was Dorothy's Fuzzy: Poor
Fuzzy's le.sTas broken. He moaned
and groaned while it was being ban
daged. He was put to bed. and Dor
othy smoothed him and petted him.
and cried over him, and she felt that
Fuzzy understood how sorry she was
Tor him. After long time Fuzzy was
nh!e to go about as well - ever. Nak