Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1914-02-01


of friends ant
sftc. the police and fire departments has
removed the cat which was souallins
horribly and two expert steeplejacks hat
hauled the editor down from his perez
on the flag pole-well. after all, this editor
let it be known that he had distaste
tor pets.
Therefore the Observer took his life II
his hands and asked him what he Woulc
do with ground hog If he had it.
You don't know what to feed them,
argued the Observer. land they'd prob
a6Iy burrow in some of that old manu-
script in Your lower righthand drawer
and ruin the ambitions of eighteen or
twenty OF Washington's leading literary
lights
The editor assumed an injured ex-
preston.
You don't think 1 want a ground hog
personally do you?'' he asked.
The Observer tried again.
II gathered that from your converse
tor" he said.
The editor assumed the tone Of a patient
Old man trying to explain an arithmetic
lesson to a child of six
1T is this way" said he. ION Febru-
ary the ground hog comes forth Oh HE
annual pilgrimage OF prophecy. This
Date is not to be confused with either the
Fourth of July or Christmas. 1t is diff
ferent from both. ii comes after Christ
mas and before the Fourth of July Fur
thermore-
After you've finished rubbing 1t in
interrupted the Observer.
II need ground hog" continued the
editor. Guiding the interruption. because
/ want 10 know what the weather IS go
ing to b+- from now on. want to know
IL il is going to get cold and l can 50
skating. I also want to know if We are
going to have lovely April weather
straight through the winter. Finally
want to find out whether the ground hog
is or is not a faker. and if he is. how
he has managed to keep his bluff going
all these years.
The Observer rnoared-
And you want me to find ene?" he
said.
The editor nodded.
DO the things perch in trees or fly
or what demanded the Observer.
The editor arose and propelled the OBJ
server toward the door.
Go and see Dr.. Baker he said gently.
DO ground hogs bite;" bleated the OBJ
server when he reached the hall
Go and see DR.. Baker, reiterated the
editor
So the Observer went to see DR.. Baker
at the Zoo And from the doctor he
learned all that was TO be learned OF
ground hog lore. He developed fine line
OF ground hog language, which was diff
cult and managed to make q noise like
a nut which his friends said was easy,
and finally he got used TO cross-countrs,
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES. over-the-barb-wire-
fence walks, and this was the most G1ffl-
cult of all.
Thus equipped the Observer started
forth through the National Park last
week in quest of his and the editors
ground hog.
And the ensuing story will tell YOU
what he found.
About half mile north of the govern
ment's national park is the toughest
piece OF walking in the world. In the
first place, the land is built sidewise like
the roof of an old-fashioned church.
That is only the lighter part of the diff
Guilty. Somebody, two or three hundred
years ago, cut down a million trees and
LEFT the stumps standing close to the
ground.
As the ages fsh-waiked on their happy
way those tree stumps kept getting
shorter and shorter. but they never dis
appeared. They were so arranged that
when you missed one of them you were
sure to hit another. Then there was an
old fence which was suffering from
creeping paralysis and other ailments.
The Observer toiled laboriously over
the ground until he came TO the far side
of the field. Here a small hedge grew.
He applied the scientific methods he had
learned First he knocked at the hedge
and then he dropped a few nuts amid the
tangled branches.
In little while a muff1ed, sleepy voice.
very thin and high, could be heard.
February second?" demanded the
voice
No answered the Observer
Then demanded the voice querulous-
y, what do you mean by coming and
disturbing my Sleep"
81 wanted to talk to you about Febru-
airy 9" explained the Observer. land ]
left a few nuts
The voice broke in. sounding more ap-
peased.
oh 1t said, IF you brought food
we'll. just wait until 1 comb my Whis-
kerS and
An unintelhgible mutter indicated that
the Understanding had begun. And a
moment later there came from under the
hedge a very old and very fat ground
hog. He looked around blinkingly for a
moment. glanced reproachfully at the
Observer. and sat down on his launches
II don't see said the ground hog
cofnplalningly, why they couldn't have
sent somebody TO see me who could have
come into my room instead of making me
come upstairs and stand outside Keer
an eye out for snakes, Will you? They're
the bane of my life
The Observer promised. and forthwith
launched upon his theme
The great American public" said the
observer, wants to know how you came
10 get the job weather prophet from
February until March,
Can you quote me accurately" de
handed the ground hog.
y viii try" said the Observer
Then, said the ground hog. take
tais''
and forthwith he gave this history:
First, said the ground hog Il wan
to state positively and emph atically thai
the weather bureau must be put out o,
business. The greatest danger which tn,
ground hog of the present day faces 1:
t'ie insiduous competition from the wealth
e. bureau. Do you realize that we hay,
% awake promptly the ID of Feb
,uary?
Don We have to learn all abou
We have 10 appreciate the fine differenc,
between n true prophecy and a ller,
fechnics.lity-like saying that becaus,
'he-e was cloud before the sun on tn,
moment YOU came out you are sure ther.
will be six weeks more of winter"
And the ground hog paused and stroket
hts InuStache