The Somerset herald. [volume] (Somerset, Pa.) 1870-1936, 1883-12-05
| turned white. How | felt.

You and John can manage the
place. he continued. 'One of the
vessels sails next week Uncle
Aaron's; he offers to take me-
1t seemed best, and he made prep
arations to go.
The spring before, Skipper Ben
yeu have met Skipper Ben-had
given me some goose eggs; he had
brought them from Canada, and
said they were wild goose eggs.
L set them under hens. In four
weeks | had three goslings. | took
them into the house at first, but af-
terward made a pen for them out in
the yard. | brought them up my
self, and one of those goslings is that
gander.'
Skipper Ben came over to see
me the day before Nathaniel was to
sail. Aaron came with him.
L said to Aaron:
'Wha: can give to Nathaniel to
carry to sea with him to make him
think of home? Cake, preserves, or
apples? ? | haven't got much ; |
have done all can for him, poor
boy.'
Brother looked at me curiously,
and said
Give him one of those wild geese,
and We will fatten it on shipboard
and have it for our Thanksgiving
dinner
What brother Aaron said pleased
me. The young gander was q no.
BILE bird, the handsomest of the lot,
and l resolved to keep the geese to
kill for my own use, and to give him
to Nathaniel.
The next mornipg-it was late III
September took leave of Nathan
iel. | tried to be calm and cheerful
and hopeful. 1 watched him as he
went down the walk with the gander
struggling under his arm. A stran-
ger would have laughed, but | did
not feel like laughing; it was true
that the boys who went coasting
were usually gone but few months
and came home hardy and happy
but when poverty compels mother
and son to part, after they have been
true to each other, and shared their
feelings in common, it seems hard,
it seems hard-though l do not like
to murmur or complain at anything
allotted to me.
Il saw him go over the hill. On
the top he stopped and held up the
gander. He disappeared yes, my
own Nathaniel disappeared. |
think of him now as one who dis
appeared.
November came, it was terrible
month on the coast that year. Storm
followed storm the -faring people
talked constantly of wrecks and
losses. | could not sleep on the
nights of those high winds. l used
to lie awake thinking over all the
happy hours | had lived with Ma
thaniel.
Thanksgiving week came.
1T was full of an Indian summer
brightness after the long storms.
The nights were frosty, bright and
calm.
L could sleep on those calm
nights.
'One morning thought l heard
strange sound in the woodland
pasture. 1t was like a wild goose.
listened it was repeated. | was
lying in bed. | started up-I sup
posed had been dreaming.
On the night before thanksgiving
went to bed early, being very tired.
The moon was full; the air was
calm and still. l was thinking of
Nathaniel, and | wondered if he
would indeed have the gander for
his Thanksgiving dinner if it would
be cooked as well as l would have
cooked it, and if he would think of
me that day.
Il was just going to sleep, when
suddenly | heard sound that made
me start up and hold my breath.
'Honk ?
Il thought it was a dream followed
by nervous shock.
'Honk /! honk =
There it was again in the yard. |
was surely awake and in my senses.
'Honkl Honk (! Honkp 7
4 heard the geese cackle.
Il got out of bed and lifted the
curtain. 1t was almost as light as
day. Instead of two geese there
were three. Had one Of the neigh
bor's geese stolen away -?
4 should have thought so, and
should not have felt disturbed, but
for the reason that none of the
neighbor's geese had that peculiar
call-that norm like tone that | had
noticed in mine.
i went out of the door.
The third goose looked like the
very gander | had given Nathaniel.
Could it be?
Il did not sleep. l rose early and
went to the crib for some corn.
1t was gander-a wild gander-
that had come in the night. He
seemed to know me.
Il trembled all over as though l
had seen a ghost. | was so faint
that | sat down on the meal chest.
AS | was in that place bill peck
ed against the door. The door open
ed. The strange gander came hob
bling over the crib stone and went
to the corn bin. He stopped there,
looked at me, and gave a sort Of glad
honk, as though he knew me and
was glad to see me.
i was certain that he was the
gander that l had raised, and that
Nathaniel had lifted into the air
when he gave me his last recogni-
ton from the top of the hill.
1T overcame me. 1t was Thanks
giving. The church bell would
soon be ringing as on Sunday. And
here was Nathaniel's Thanksgiving
dinner and brother Aaron's-had it
flown away? Where was the yes
sci?
Years have passed-ten. You
know l waited and waited for my
boy to come back. December grew
dark with its rainy seas the SHOWS