Jasper County Democrat, Volume 3, Number 2, Rensselaer, Jasper County, 21 April 1900 — LITTLE FOUR-FOOTED BEGGAR. [ARTICLE]

LITTLE FOUR-FOOTED BEGGAR.

Squirrel That Would *2ka Peanuts Out of the Hand. A pretty incident was seen by a reporter wjiile walking through Central park. A man on a bench, under one of the trees, was feeding peanuts to a beautiful gray squirrel, which rested its forepaws hgainst the man’s knee, in the manner of a dog. The tiny mendicant, with its plumelike tail waving above it, would take food from the fingers of the man, and, sitting up before him, eat it with the greatest relish. It would then resume its position with its forepaws against the man and its little neck craned in the most beseeching attitude. This continued until several peanuts had disappeared. Then an observer said: “Did you train this squirrel ? Does it know you?” “No,” was the reply, “anyone can call these little fellows if they only know how,” and handing a nut to a woman, he added: “Take a quarter of it in your fingers and hold it out so, and pretend to throw it.” The squirrel had retreated to the opposite edge of the walk during this conversation, but kept a very keen eye on the two people. When the new friend tried to entice him, he was not sure about things, and expressed his uncertainty and indecision by many pretty whisks and maneuvers, but finally, with the air of a squirrel who should say ,faint squirrel never won fair nut, he darted toward the outstretched morsel, seized it and, sitting on his hind feet, ate it all. Just as he had decided to accept another fragment he discovered in the grass another and larger nut, and, with a most businesslike air, he picked it up, carried it into the middle of tbe lawn and buried it. Then he returned for more peanuts.—N. Y. Tribune.