Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-03-03
Jack Woodchuck.
BY 1. c. HARVEY.

One bright spring morning Hector, our
Scotch collie. came bounding into the yard
with something in his mouth that looked
like ball of fur.
IL dess he has brought me a pet" lsped
five-year-old Marjorie. Il told him to.
cause l lost my kitty Div 1t to me. Hee-
tor. Drop 1t. sir!''
Hector carefully deposited small. brown
woodchuck at her feet The chuct was too
frightened to move. Marjorie gathered
him up and placed him In a basket
In week he had become SO well ac-
quainted that he would follow Marjorie
around the yard. and appeared uneasy IL
out of her sight.
For a time Hector brought home game to
his new friend: but Jack, after shifting at
It, would turn carelessly away and eat the
tender grass closer IN the lawn, much to
Hector's disgust. He would sit up on his
hind legs and eat sugar out of Martories
hand He also liked bread and butter
One day he was nowhere to be found.
High and low we searched. till we. were
about to give him up for lost. Hector, who
had been snuffing around. went TO the side
board and barked loudly. Mother opened
it, and there was Jack. sound asleep. curied
up on the table linen. The drawer had been
left open. and Jack had crawfed in to take
Jack seemed to consider 1t a good Joke.
It was comical to see him sit up and
beg. holding out hts long black finger for
fruit or bread and butter He would come
when called. running as fast as his short
legs would carry him. When Marjorie
whistled he answered at once.
Marjorie taught him TO stand quietly
while she harnessed him to q doll carriage.
At the word Co he would trot around.
apparently enjoying the sport as we'll as
she Sometimes he became tired and
baked in true mule fashion. refusing to
bulge an inch.
When the brilliant peoples began to bloom
Jack chewed off each blossom as 1t ap-
peared. No amount OF teaching could make
him understand that peoples were to be
looked at and not eaten.
In September Jack commenced to grow
fat. About the LIST of October he began eat
ing once day only, and then once in TIVE
or three days. He refused to play and
grew so dozy that Marjorie thought he
must be Ill. Papa explained that he was
getting ready for his long winter nap. SO
she dried her tears. One morning she found
him digging In the back yard. He dug and
dug TIL the hole was deep enough to suit
him. then crawled within.
Marjorie waited for several days. At last.
one afternoon, Jack came out. blinked his
sleepy eyes, sat up and begged with his paw
for something to eat. After eating he
whisked into his dugout in great haste.
Marjorie called Jack! Jack?' and from the
depth of his nest he whistled once, twice,
thrice.
That was the last of him for that winter.
About the first Of March Marjorie put her
face down to the door of his home and
called Jack again and again. She was over
joyed to hear the old familiar whistle and
ran to the house to tell the good news
When we reached the place there sat Jack.
but such lean. hungry-looking Jack. He
recognized US all, even to Hector, who
barked with delight.
Soon we noticed that he made long Jour-
neys from home. One day we saw him
coming up through the field. coaxing an
other woodchuck to follow. She was a
dainty chuck; slick and trim, and we did
not wonder that Jack admired her.
She refused to get over the wall, but
perched upon the top and watched Jack
eating the tender plants In the garden.
Each day through the summer they came.
but never could he persuade his mate to
come any nearer. Jack still allowed Mar
| jorie to feed him sugar. but ne always hur-
ried away after as though he Rad impor-
tant business.
The second spring Jack came to the gar
den with his four children, while his mate
sat on the wall and chartered. Five wood
chucks did a great deal of damage to the
garden, but no one complained.
II wish he would come back to stay"
signed Marjorie.