Omaha Bird Records, Feb.-May, 1903
Item
8
trouble. He alighted in the top of the tree, and as the tapping continued came half-way
down, looking for the rival drummer. After a little he gave it up as an obvious afraid,
and busied himself foraging. It was very interesting to me. There was not a sign of
a downy in the neighborhood when the tapping began, though later we found a tree at
no great distance where there was evidence of the work of this species.
At the dinner table tonight, Mr. Van Sant, looking as solemn as an owl, made a suggestion. Here we had been, he said, for over
two years in this house without giving it a name. It ill became, he said, a house
with thirteen rooms, with slate roof and plate-glass windows — he enumerated other
virtues — to go without a name. And the name, in keeping with our biological leanings,
should have a touch of the wilderness about it. So now, as its placement and quality
had attracted a beautiful wild creature to edge in on possession, why not recognize
the fact by name the place accordingly? He proposed “Skunk Ridge†as a name quite
out of the ordinary, and in obvious keeping with facts.
And Elizabeth said no word.
Blithely I acquiesced, emphasizing the beauty and grace of the little creature, his
noble dependence upon himself along for his needs, and citing South Carolina’s state
seal — a rattlesnake with the motto, “Don’t tread on me!†And a skunk is as untreadable
as a rattlesnake, and far more handsome. There was the printing-office down stairs,
I would fix up some real snappy stationary.
And Elizabeth said no word. But she had a bearing which shouted “Try an’ do it!†Something about
the idea evidently did not please her, so we let the subject drop.
- Title
- Omaha Bird Records, Feb.-May, 1903
- Date
- Feb.-May, 1903
- Creator
- Frank Shoemaker
- Description
- Frank Shoemaker - Omaha, Lincoln, and Nebraska Narratives
- Identifier
- 321301
- Transcription
- 8 trouble. He alighted in the top of the tree, and as the tapping continued came half-way down, looking for the rival drummer. After a little he gave it up as an obvious afraid, and busied himself foraging. It was very interesting to me. There was not a sign of a downy in the neighborhood when the tapping began, though later we found a tree at no great distance where there was evidence of the work of this species. At the dinner table tonight, Mr. Van Sant , looking as solemn as an owl, made a suggestion. Here we had been, he said, for over two years in this house without giving it a name. It ill became, he said, a house with thirteen rooms, with slate roof and plate-glass windows - he enumerated other virtues - to go without a name. And the name, in keeping with our biological leanings, should have a touch of the wilderness about it. So now, as its placement and quality had attracted a beautiful wild creature to edge in on possession, why not recognize the fact by name the place accordingly? He proposed "Skunk Ridge" as a name quite out of the ordinary, and in obvious keeping with facts. And Elizabeth said no word. Blithely I acquiesced, emphasizing the beauty and grace of the little creature, his noble dependence upon himself along for his needs, and citing South Carolina's state seal - a rattlesnake with the motto, "Don't tread on me!" And a skunk is as untreadable as a rattlesnake, and far more handsome. There was the printing-office down stairs, I would fix up some real snappy stationary. And Elizabeth said no word. But she had a bearing which shouted "Try an' do it!" Something about the idea evidently did not please her, so we let the subject drop.
- Rights
- To inquire about usage, please contact Archives & Special Collections, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Libraries. These images are for educational use only. Not all images are available for publication.
- Site pages
- Frank H. Shoemaker, "Omaha Bird Records"
