The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1880-09-25
How the Geese Saved the Baby.

JOHN EVANS was raking hay in a
field on the south side of his cottage,
while his wife was in the dairy printing
butter for market. Little Elsy, their
two-year-old baby, was playing with
blocks on the sitting-room floor. and
old Robin Hood, the dog, was asleep
on the, grass close by the door that
opened on the lawn.
The sky was almost cloudless, and
the sun blazed warm in the fields.
"Just the weather to make the corn
grow" said John Evans, resting a
quarter of minute, and looking con-
tentedly over the wall at his flourishing
corn blades, already two good inches
at least above those of his rich neigh
Dor, Mr.. Haverly.
"Elsy is safe," said Barbara, the trim
little house-maid Il might as well
knead up the bread" And she whisked
through the sitting-room so fast and
with so little noise that Elsy only looked
up to see If bird had flown in over the
low half-door.
Tired of her blocks at last, Elsy went
and tugged at the door, and made the
latch rattle. Robin opened one eye
the one toward the house-and half
cooked an ear. But Elsy kept up the
rattle long enough for him to get used
to it, and drawing his tail closer under
his nose, he ceased paying any atten-
ton to the child. He knew she was
behind the door. He had done his full
duty by standing on his hind-legs
against it, and looking to see what she
was about before he settled himself for
his nap. She ratified the latch every
day, but she had never been able to
lift the needn't have that on his
mind. So, by-and-by, when the crown
of her little white head showed itself
above the door Robin was doing away,
more sleepy than ever
She had pushed her block-box close
to the sill, and stepped on it to take
another view of the latch. For Elsy
was enterprising, and had no more idea
than have other two-year-old babies of
remaining in ignorance of any new and
untried danger. OF course she sue.
ceeded at last and so easily that she
pushed the door open and let herself
backward down the steps without wax
ing the dog.
The Oldest mother goose in the barn
yard was as energetic as Elsy. She
quacked about among her neighbors
until she collected the whole flock,
and then matronized them down to the
big shallow pond in front of the
house. They pottered good deal on
the way among mud-puddles, for there
had been shower the night before.
Dame Evans pottered, too, in the
dairy, but that was because pretty Miss
Ruth Haverly called to bespeak some
of the butter before it should be sent to
market, and was trying her hands at
the printing. Very soft, white hands
they were, and Mrs. Evans enjoyed
watching them.
"There," she said, "that one is a
beautyr' as Ruth turned one of the vel
low balls into dish. But she never
would have allowed anybody else to
NEEDLE so with her butter. A spot on
the dairy shelf would have been as
great crime as speck on the snow
white kerchief crossed on her bosom.
But no thought would she have taken
of the butter, nor even of the dainty
Miss Ruth, had she known what Elsy
was doing. Nor would Barbara have
cared so much about the bread. She
was singing and did not hear Elsy
fumbling with the door-latch.
But the child had trotted by Robin
Hood, down the long path, all the way
to the river, and was so pleased at the
feat that she laughed aloud. 1t was
the first chance she had ever had to
get alone to the river. Somebody had
always been on hand to pull her away
just in time to save her feet from touch
ing the water. Now they touched it in
comfort, and little cool ripples washed
over the toes of her stockings had
pulled her shoes off long ago in the
house. She ran up and down the edge
of the water few times, and then be-
gan picking up sticks and stray leaves
to throw into it. Higher and higher
her spirits rose with the sport. If it
had not been for Barbara's song Robin
would surely have heard Elsy shout.
But Robin was lazy in his old age, and
was actually snoring. Elsy spied a
pretty goose-feather and gave it toss.
The breeze carried it farther out on the
water than the small maid intended.
But she was fearless, and catching at
some cat-tails growing on the bank,
she waded in after her feather.
She stumbled over the uneven bot
tom, and the stones hurt her soft little
feet. Down she went, head and all I'M
der water, just as the geese came, ready
at last for their swim. When they saw
Elsy splashing about, they thought she
was trespassing. Or perhaps they I'M
derstood perfectly well that the river,
although safe for them, was a danger
Gus place for the innocent baby. Who
knowsp Certain it was that, as Elsy
went down under the water, the geese
tapped their wings, and made tre-
mendous racket. They made such a
noise as never had been heard in the
place before. They wakened old Rob-
in at last, and brought him quick as a
flash to his post of duty, Oh, he could
make noise enough then, to- be sure! He
could tear round the house like hurri-
cane, dash down the path and into the
water, seize little Elsy's dness, and hold
her head above the surface until her
father came to the rescue, plunged into
the river, and in another minute had
borne his darling safely to land. Her
bright eyes were closed, and her form
lay quite senseless against her fathers
bosom, while Robin looked up to be
sure she was safe. and Barbara ran
terrified from the house, her singing