Beverly banner. [volume] (Beverly, N.J.) 1877-1964, 1880-10-16
A Summer Fable.
Something after the Manner of the
Persian.


Persian.
The following is from the Detroit
Free Press; One day, when summer
had began her business Of blistering
the ears of small boys, and helping the
ice men to grow rich and high-nosed,
an old goose suspended her frog hunt
ing operations in the pond and called
her three dear goslings about her for a
family chat.
My dear, dear daughters" she be-
gan, as she put up one foot to see if
her beau-catchers were properly curled
am grieved that we are compelled
to reside in such a neighborhood as
this. Since your father died and got
his life insurance, | have no one here
good enough for me to associate with.
You, too, have had hard time. The
young ganders around here are a
mud puddle set, and the old widowers
would have to be parboiled a whole
week before a wolf could chew them
We must continue to reside here for a
time, but that is no reason why any Of
you should remain single"
The goslings blushed and hid their
heads, as proper young goslings should
and the mother arched her neck and
continued:
OF course, | want you all to marry
rich young gamblers and put on the
style that becomes the daughters of a
goose like me. 1t is true that your
father was brought up with lame dog
and that | was glad enough to get a
mud hole to swim in, but things have
changed. If | don't set the fashions
for this locality | at least lead the styles
and no other goose dares quack her
mouth until | give the signal"
Here she plumed her feathers and
gave hiss which was heard clean over
to the barnyard, and the delighted Cos
lings swan around her and applauded.
Therefore, my dear goslings,
have planned trip for us all. As
rich ganders do not seek us out, we
will seek for them. While | am none
too old to marry again, being far from
an old goose, | shall not allow the
thought to enter my head, but shall
devote all my time to securing suitable
mates for you. Arabella, you must
pencil your eyebrows, and wear sad,
faraway look and quote poetry. Viola
you must be gushing and frank, and
talk about our bonds and diamonds
and servants. Eleanor, you must seem
innocent and confding, and if you can
be found weeping now and then, it will
surely lead to proposal. Now, then.
to getsready."
A few days later the quartette APP
peared at ogpond, much frequented
by fashionable fowls and animals, and
they had no sooner struck the water
than they created swell.
The best places were everywhere re-
served for them, and such other geese
as they could mot swim over, they stared
out of countenance and passed around.
Arabella saddened, Viola gushed, and
Eleanor wept, and three sleek-looking
Foxes, wearing mutton chop whiskers,
and speaking with lisp, were caught
in the traps. 1t was a happy idea to
have three weddings at once, and be in
hurry about it before the foxes could
get aMay, and the plan was duly car
ried out.
The honeymoon had only begun
when one Fox was arrested for having
too many gosling wives. A second
turned out to be buzzard in disguise,
and he stole old Mother Goose's dia-
monds and lit out, while the third got
drunk and was smothered in the mud.
When the downhearted and chagrined
quartette had waddled back to their
frog pond, feet sore and feathers miss
ing, and ashamed to look old friends in
the face, drake walked down to the
bank and said: While ! would not
utter one quack to add to your over
wrought feelings, let me in all kind
ness gently remark that the difference
between marrying home gander or a
foreign fox is seldom seen by a goose
until she has been baked and eaten. "
Men, Women and Money.