The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1909-10-20
WOODY.

first met him one spring morning
as was going along wood road,
lined with huckleberry bushes, bay
berry bushes and sweet fern, writes
Charles e. Jenney, in the Churchman.
There was a rustic In the bushes and
dead leaves, and making haste to In
vestigate, caught Woody at bay, too
far from his burrow to retreat. As
suming valor out of necessity, he
bristled up bravely and ground his
teeth in way to strike terror to any
one near his size. all the time facing
me, but gradually backing away. In
spite of his miniature ferocity, made
a dash for him, but he was too quick
and the underground too thick, and
he escaped. His hole must have been
near, for the rustling Of the leaves {
would have betrayed him had he far
to run.
Woody was quite fat even at thir
early time of the year, so he mus
have seen his shadow at Candelma
Day and not retired for another 81
months sleep. Later in the year
saw him often. He he'd burrow be
side the stone wall, having throw
up much yellow soil 1t was part,
protected by the fringe of bushes an
vines that edged the wall. He ais
had another entrance or exit on tn
other side OF the wall, which was tn
wood side. This hole was unmarked
by any upheaval of earth, and wa
more in the nature of a secret en-
trance. Besides these, out in tn
middle of the field, beside rock tina
projected from the ground and she
tered some blackberry bushes fro
the moving machine, he had anoth
large burrow, perhaps sort OF cou
try seat. Whether this was CO
nected by underground chambe
with the others 1 do not know. but
think it was. 1t was over hundr
feet away. At the mouth of Il
hole Towser loved to paw and snl
and violently firt the dirt out behi
his hind legs. in an eager attempt
get at Woody.
Often in the early mornings of sum-
| mer, when there was dew on the
grass, Woody might be seen in the
meadow, roofing at the succulent
grasses, whose roots he nibbled wi -
great relish. A tuft here and the
of red clover was especially app.
ciated by him. Again, toward sunset
or late in warm afternoon. would
see him sitting peacefully at the door
of his mound by the wall facing the
sunset, with all the self-satisfaction
of a well-fed philosopher. When ap-
preached too near, he would give a
sharp whistle or squeak of protest,
and jump down the hole. Almost i'm
mediately his nose appeared at the
doorway to see il you were coming
nearer, and IL so. he disappeared for
good. And dig as you might, you
would not oyertake him that day.
Safe in some corner OF his subterra.
mean chambers. he was doubtless
woodworking to himself.
/ was familiar with the ground
squirrels OF the Far West and found
that Woody In all his habits resnSn.
bled them, but In looks he is q
| another person. Fat and round
body, short OF tail, short legs.
round ears and habit of bristlin,
his hair all over, till his funny
becomes stubborn and gruff and
savage. Such is the animal some
marmott, the Indians Wenusk,
scientists Arctomys monax, and ev
body commonly knows as the wd
chuck. He Is an earnest little c
quite unlike his 1ippant cousins,
gray squirrels.
About the first OF November,
ing grown fat and lazy on good Z
Woody retiras to his undergro
room, stopping up the entrance,
rolling into ball. sleeps the slee
the just until the next spring.
long goodnight that he says,
no wonder he awakes hungry ON
dlemas Day.