The Richmond Virginian. (Richmond, Va.) 1910-1920, 1912-06-09
BY r. ST. MARS.

BY r. ST. MARS.
The blackbirds and thrushes had
finished their evening song and gone
to bed. The early flying bats had
come out and returned to their hiding
places again. The late-iying bats
were Just appearing. and a large moon
had come up To- keep them company.
when something might have been seen
to emerge from the wood and start
across the meadow. 1t was strange
beast, all covered with brown spines.
low, about foot long-if we include
the inch and half tail---anG anaz-
tngly deliberate. 1t took quite five
minutes TO cover the fifty yards Of
shadow thrown on the green grass
of the meadow by the wood and get
out into the open moonlight, aud
when II had done so, one saw that II
WAS a hedgehog.
Well had he been named hog,
for his snout was very piglilfe, and
well, too, hedge" for his true horne
was indeed the hedgerow.
The moon looked silently down upon
him. and upon the forms Of the rap-
bits. also silent. that could he seen
dmiy scattered all over the meadow:
but he himself made a slight rustling
as he moved, being seb low on the
legs
Calmly he snapped mp a beetle from
the very top of dock-Ieaf, just as
1t was spreading its wings, ready for
flight Calmly TOO he grabbed
worm just as the earthly one was
vanishing before his shadow. and with
cool elaboration he investigated
slug and sent 1t the way of worm
and beetle
Then he paused. apparently 10 h1eai-
tate and scratch bimse1f: and as M
~, .,,,a,ttnr ~, ,,,no tearing
along a, such terrific speed that il Nss
sISa - ,frt,t -. hi,n "a avoid
'l1s" ~ 'o"P
=" t,s - .,,,r,.,,r
F'c ~ iN"'' SO ''F1 ~ =" .t,.a
az. ..,u ,re' . ~ - fa Nv saro !. was
- -. 49, ~, ,,,1,,Iioh.
VANISHING into inc h.oonIlsn..
lhen nc ferat'heu "",.S"u 80,
ana aRa'a' even az u $50 ~ 80, -
Trims els" came III i"pits "t."t 50
saci Il furious pace thet 1t hAd 10
jump OVER nm u avoid TunHiHC fr'fu
him. This was bigger appaf'h''H
thar the first and he Ola not WAL
to see whether lis tail was gong 70
vanish or not. WIN amazing >"
ms he doubled upon hlmsei anu
threw himself into bail, ms BACK
curved. his head and forepaws tpcked
In that position be was practically
l,ypreennble. and he knew 1t. So did
~ SO. ,,snt4f, had frightened him
NV. A. for i, was most careful to
- hin, and Kent on after the hare,
=. a. - syrevhmnd this second beast.
"a a. nrastar who was poacher.
,,.as ,satrhine from the who'd
r,tf1 .,,in,f+a tia hedge
after 'sn 'N', 5eIthsrafrIy gazed
neg siiis~, -, IT, nTia, and safe.
routIo' ~, - bns.n, "a follow un
men very - .,,tyr.ras some
'as .h'sI - ,.yingtrr about her
th'l1s - MIN ~ tbe night air
I" , u,@S se, htr. <r new quest which
aa -, ~. f|ildIe Of the meadow
leu h1''' atoh NJ inna grass. THIS h,
ana pa'~" Nf
ohterea' ..,... ,.od,. rrouched
hsl sraeu senau furry.
aHhost h@' "a ..fu +Naf ..ot, wDllid
s''"s' - !. M the hedge
feNef 10 4"I..,,s, 80 ,,,ns looking fo-
hos saw ~, ~. lt.,ht as hlru, i 10
~ IN" -. 80 ,uo wards he
"AH. ~, " - .s,.fil,eratsr and slew
i,t"1 ,s -. ~, ,~1,,la saa nlatnIv that
- u'iS I,'t 80 lexeret-a baby
~" ..,t--.saitins. for its mother 8
MIRA - ~ ...o,,1>, never return.
- Urn sne 81 anS v,itb sricb UNI
~ - th,t /. quite startled
'ApettF" So ,ufel low,
80 n,on ,hr unfortunate
fush. a'A'i ~r,s'., .s,t.s u villa sour
+.NeFet me- -. ,'rn1orvs,i
"a .i{.n,.a The Iever,t WAs
80 ,ut u.ltb is h.,ad heg-
'N'f.@ ts. .va with n hole
ING vow ~ 'H - -. -,.,npax-
''- ny
FA''S "'a'- , .A,. hoa,re-
ihat - -, a.. 1tkalv ia get more