The Canton advocate. [volume] (Canton, D.T. [S.D.]) 1877-1897, 1878-06-04
FOR THE YOUNG FOLKS.
The silly Goose: an Old story Re.told.

There's queer old story which you shall hear.
1t happened, once on a time, my dear,
That goose went swimming on pond,
A pleasure.of which all geese are fond
SIZE sailed about, and to and fro,
The waves bent under her breast OF snow,
But she wasn't happy goose-oh no!
II troubled her more than she could tell,
That in the town where she CHANGED to dwell,
The saying of stupid as goose,'
Was one that was very much in use.
For sneers and snubbing are hard to bear,
Be he man or beast, do not care,
Or plnioned fowl Of the earth or air,
We're all OF the same opinion there.
Now, as she pondered the matter DER,
A fox came walking along the shore; p ...
With pleasant smile he bowed his head,
Good evening, Mrs. Goose!" he said.
"Good evening, Mr. Foxr' quoth she,
Looking across at him tremblingiy,
And fearing he had not had his tea,
Pushed trifle farther out to sea.
She had little harlh to fear from him;
For, with all his tricks, he could not swim.
And indeed his ve,ce was sweet and kind.
"Dear Mrs. Goose. you've a troubled mind;
only wish could help you through
There's nothing would not gladly do
For such beautiful bird as you"
Which sounded nice, and was really true.
"Well, then, Mr. Fox" the goose replied,
1T hurts my +, elings, and wounds my pride,
That in these days my sisters and |,
Who saved old Rome by our warning cry,
Should be called the SIT q geese. All. mel
If | could learn something fine, you see,
Like writing, or reading the B c.,
What happy, happy gees" I'd be-"
CHOW, would you, ndeed!' Rcnard replied
AS the floating fowl he slyly eyed;
81 hardly know what lis best to say,
Let's think about it moment, pray,
| may help you yet, my dear, who knows"
So he struck meditative pose,
And ,houghtfully laid his small, red toes
Up by the side of his pointed nose.
"Ah, yes" he CRIED az have it at last:
Your troubles, dear Mrs. Goose, are past;
There is a school, master, wise and good
! know where he lives in yonder wood,
Tomorrow evening, you shall see
In Won broad meadow his school will be,
He'll bring you book with the a &c,
And he'll give his little lesson free"
But now Just listen, and you shall hear
About that fox; he went off, my dear,
And he bought Il coat, and beaver hat,
And pair of Specs and a black crayat.
Next evening he came dressed up to charm,
With little " reader" under his arm,
Where the goose stood waiting without alarm,
For, indeed, she hadn't a thought OF harm.
Had she looked at all, you would have thought
She need not have been SO quickly caught,
For the long red bushy fox's tail,
Swept over the meadow like trail.
But twas rather dark, for night was near,
And another thing, l greatly fear,
She felt too an iOus to see quite clear;
She was simply a goose Of one idea.
The school-master opens VIDE his book,
The gose makes long, long neck, to look,
He opens his mouth, as if to cough,
When, snippety -snap! her head flies Off
Now, cackle loudly her sisters fond
Who are watching proudly from the pond,
While off to the town that lies beyond
The whole OF the frightened flock abscond.
That day, the geese made a solemn VOW,
Which Their faithful children keep till now.
That, never shall goose or gosliDg look
At any schoomaster or his book.
So, if you should chance to hear
Them talking of school, don't think it queer
If they say some hard things, or appear
To show certain degree of fear;
1t is always so with geese, my dear.
st. Nicholas.