The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1920-12-17
The Boys and
the Woodchuck

pa Peterkins, one evening, of his three
grandchildren, as they gatherd about
him, eager to have him tell story.
"Who knows?" he again repeated.
II don't" Omitted Fred.
Il do" said Rob thoughtfully. Let
me see-one horse, two cows, five pigs,
three cats and dog"
why, Rob-" said grandpa, some
what surprised, what on earth are
you talking about?"
WELL" continued Rob, "if that's the
family you mean, don't know whether
their name is Rodent or not, but i
know they have just moved up here,
and have all those animals"
Very good" smiled the old gentle
man. "But see you don't understand
me. / simply want to know what ami.
mails comprise the family of rodenia? ?"
Rats" called out Fred.
"You are right, Fred" he replied
seriously, endeavoring to show no ap-
probation for the boys slang. Rats
do come under that order, as do the
squirrels, the beavers, and the wood
chucks. These animals have two large
front teeth, called scissors, on each
jaw. See here now" he said, bringing
a woodchuck's skull from his cabinet,
which was we'll filled with many inter-
esting specimens, this is type of the
rodent family; you'll note quite a
space between the front and back
teeth or molars. The front teeth being
long are used exclusively as a means
of cravings"
"But, grandpa" interposed young
George, please don't forget to tell us
a story"
That's a fact; and speaking about
woodchucks recalls an incident that
happened to me years ago, when was
about your age, Fred, almost fifteen,
and had, like my cousin John, always
lived in the city. During our summer
vacation, our Uncle George invited US
to spend few weeks at his farm on
Long Island, an outing that would give
us plenty of fresh air, plenty of sail
ing and good fishing, and many other
enjoyments, such as we much desired.
One bright morning our uncle said to
us.
Come, you city bred boys-conle up
in the lot with me, and see if you can't
invent some plan to catch a wood
chuck. Now, if you succeed in captur-
ing him alive, I'll make you each a
handsome present"
After walking across two or three
4 lots, we at last came to the hole where
| the animal had made his abode. The
earth was piled up some two feet or
more at the entrance, showing that he
had exerted no little labor in estab-
fishing his claim.
| "'Now then boys continued our
uncle, you see the place, for Issaw him
slip in just before we crossed that first
lot. Get him out if you can, but mind.
bring him to me alive and in good con-
dition, and I'll keep my part of the
contract; but must leave you now,
as l have other matters to attend to,
SO devise your own plans of capture
after our uncle had gone, we sur
veyed the grounds again, and then
peeped into the hole. John was posi-
tive he saw a pair of eyes looking up
at him, and that seemed to brighten
us little.
az think said John, that if had
long pole might prod him out
THAT would never do objected
You know we must not injure nor kill
him.
"tIf we only had big burning glass,
and then snuff lot of paper down,
we might smoke him out
"'Yes, that would be good scheme;
or if we only had big fire-cracker.
that might bring him to terms
81 have it, said John, clapping his
hands. Let's drown him out. He
can't sit down there under water berry
long,
Good cried, "a mighty good
idea. Well drown him out; but I'm
afraid that when he starts to come out
he'll come so fast that we may not be
able to catch him. How will we man.
age that?'
WELL answered John, who had
quite an inventive turn of mind. you
know that old Nsteine that uncle has
down at the house. We can bring that
up with the water and make a fench
Of it around the entrance, and when he
comes out we can easily draw the
seine together and bag him, and then
there will be no danger of his biting
us. You know they can bite like the
mischief
"It was now agreed that I should
stand guard over the woodchuck, while