OUR NEAREST NEIGHBORS 



Mark was a philosopher and wasted little time on useless effort. 

 Suddenly it seemed as if a bright idea had occurred to him. He 

 carefully reached down to draw the string up. It did not slip ! An- 

 other turn and yet another in true sailor fashion, and the basket 

 was held at his level with one tiny paw while he helped himself wit h 

 the other. It was most cunning, but it defeated my purpose. 

 Another way must be found. I tried the basket at the end of a 

 long iron rod only one-sixteenth of an inch in diameter, hooked 

 over the swinging limb : surely Mr. Squirrel would never trust him- 

 self to that frail support. It was quite a week before he dared, 

 but the temptation was too great, and one morning down he slid, 

 bumping into the basket and scattering the peanuts on the snow 

 below. Whether I saw him the first time he did it or not I cannot 

 be sure; but as soon as I did see him, I rushed out to frighten him. 

 Instantly he scrambled up the slender rod with amazing dexterity. 

 We greased it with lard, which did no more than lend added flavor 

 to his feast; and now Mark is in possession and I am wonder- 

 ing what I can do next to provide my feathered proteges with a 

 private table. 



The woodchuck or ground hog is an interesting creature. He 

 is so nearly the color of the boulders that if he keeps still in the 

 open when among them, only his final gentle lope, as you approach 

 too near, betrays him. I wish he were not so fond of early vege- 

 tables and even of late seedlings. The other day he took a fancy to 







some newly set out columbines, and in three hours all the tops were 



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