Evening star., 1944-04-24
This and That
By Charles E. Trace,pell.
"THIRTY-NrN1H STREET

1HlRIX-NINTH STREET.
Dear Sir:
Early last spring we had the same
trouble that your reader, E. w. of De-
catur street, now Is having with the
squirrels. We like and feed the squir-
reis, but when one decided to make
our attic home in which to make a
nest and raise family, we objected.
Our first knowledge Of the squirrel in
our home was before dawn one morning
when we heard great noise overhead: !:
listening, we decided from the hoppy-
hop frequency of the sounds that some
now or other squirrel had got into the
attic, which is only for storage and the
only way to gain entrance from the in
side is by stepladder.
I'VE were in dilemma. and no one
could suggest means of Kidding our
selves of this nuisance, since there is a
prohibition in the District against
killing these animals.
The squirrel was chased from the at
tic, and then my husband filled in the
hole, which was made just above the
gutter into the side of the house. which
is frame. Now how did that squirrel
know there was an attic there?)
Th1s did no good, however, for in q
very few days we heard the squirrel
again, and upon investigating found a
second hole alongside the original one.
My husband then had a bright idea
that of mailing hardware cloth the
whole length of that side of the house.
1T was amusing to see him nail with
a hammer in one hand and all the while
shooing the squirrel who kept near at
hand on the gutter, and in the nearby
tree, scolding all the while.
For several days after that the sulir-
rel came back and gnawed at the wire.
but to no avail
II e. WIS squirrel can possibly reach
the attic by means other than the tree.
l suggest that he invest in some hard
ware CLOTH
Very truly yours, M. G. S."
n
Here a difficulty is solved with good
humor. Difficulties nowadays, In the
everyday walks of life, ought to be
solved with good humor, for there are
SO many problems which seem to de-
mand spleen, i'll humor, swearing, and
even murder.
The squirrel is humorous little ami
NAL, and should be accepted in this
hight by every one, no matter how pes
tl1erouS he seems at times.
There are always ways of getting
around him, if the householder will ex-
ercise two important virtues, patience
and sense of humor.
What problems indeed, could not he
solved by these, If mankind would hut
use them? Perhaps in the future inter
national difficulties will call in their
aid; for the present, the best we seem
10 be able to do Is to swear, sweat and
shoot
The squirrel which enters a house
ceases to be funny, in a sense, as manv
persons have found out, but even then
he should not permit his sense of humor
to desert him.
There is always way to get the best
OF the bushy-tailed fellow, and the ex-
erclse gives a certain glow of success.
comparable IN small way to a victory
on the battlefield.
After the hubbub and turmoil of q
squirrel in the attic, the quiet and peace
which ensue from its ousting are
heavenly. No one whose attic has not
been invaded thus can have any idea of
the noise the animals can create.
Being playful at all times, and in all
the big attic is sort of playroom In
deed, in no other place can the souir-
rels find so much level space aloft. Up
to them, means tree, and a tree hasn't
much levelness about it.
A squirrel must get real "kick" out
| of an attic, so no householder should
take him too seriously there It Is In
order to rejoice with him, If one can, Sc
of ha
pinesS in living may become a part OF
the mental makeup of those below
stairs. Heaven knows that in these
days the whole world needs dose OF
some homely philosophy which will
make men everywhere realize more than
they do that life is blessing, If han
died properly, and that with the whole
world at war we, alas, are not handling
1t very well. Certainly, not as well az
| the squirrels.