The Wellington enterprise. [volume] (Wellington, Ohio) 1867-188?, 1883-11-28
A THANKSGIVING DINNER THAT
FLEW AWAY.

"Aunt, what makes you keep that
gander, year after yearpn said i, one
evening, as we were sitting on the lawn
before the door. '.Is it because he is q
kind of Watchdog, and keeps trouble
some people away?"
"No. child, no; i do not wifh to keep
most people away, not wellbehaved
people. nor to distress nor annoy any
one. The fact is, there is a story about
that gander that do not like to speak
of to every one-something that max es
me feel tender toward him; SD that Il
he needs a whipping, would rather do
it He knows something that no one
else knows. You have heard me speak
of Nathaniel. my Oldest boyp"
yes"
"That is his picture in my nom, you
know. loved Nathaniel-yos can not
think how much loved Nathsniel. II
vas on my account that he wgnt away,
1.-The farm did not produces enough
for US all. One year-that was ten
years ago-we were sued for cur taxes.
=" Nathaniel said /, Il will take
boarders.'
"Then he looked up to me and said
(Oh, how noble and handsome he ap-
peared to med:
"'Mother, / will 60 to sea-
"' Wherer asked /, in surprise.
"'In coaster
"'You and John can manage the
place, he continued. One of the YES
sels sails next week-Uncle Aaron's; he
offers to take me-
"It seemed best, and he made prepa-
rations to 60.
"The spring before, Skippaf Ben
you have met Skipper Ben-had given
me some goose eggs; he had brought
them from Canada, and said that thsy
were wild-goose eggs
II set them under hens. In foAr
weeks had three goslings, 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.
81 said to Aaron:
What can 1 give to Nathaniel 20
carry TO sea with him 10 make him
think of home? Cake, preserves, sp-
PlesP L haven't got much; 1 have done
all can for him, poor boy
Brother looked at me cIrriously,
and said:
Give him one of those will geeas,
and we viii fatten it on shipboard and
Viii have 1t for our Thanksgiving din
ner.'
"What brother Aaron said pleasad
ME. The young gander was a noole
bird, the handsomest of the lot; and I
resolved to keep the geese to kill fsr
ieL.
1.-The next morning-it was late N
September-I took leave of Nathaniel.
: tried to be calm and cheerful and
hopeful. I watched him as he wont
down the walk with the gander strux-
Cling under his arms A stranger
would have laughed, but did not feel
like laughing, although the boys who
went coasting were usually gone but a
few months and came home hardy and
happy.
top he stopped and held up the gander.
He disappeared; yes, my own Nathan
iel disappeared. think of him now ms
one who disappeared.
November came-it was q terrible
month on the coast that year. Storm
followed storm; the sea-faring people
talked constantly of wrecks and losses.
could not sleep on the nights of those
high winds. used to lie awake think
ing over all the happy hours 1 had lived
with Nathaniel.
Thanksgiving week came.
'1t was full of an Indian-s1mmer
brightness after the long storms. The
nights were frosty, bright and calm.
81 could sleep on those calm nights.
Zone morning thought 1 heard =
strange sound in the woodland pasture.
1t was like wild goose. 1 listened; 1t
was repeated. was lying in bed. I
started up-I thought had been dream
ing.
''On the night before Thanksgiving
went to bed early, being very tired.
The moon was full; the air was calm
and still 1 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 would have cooked it, and if he
would think of me that day.
81 was just going to sleep, when sud-
denly heard a sound that made me
start up and hold my breath.
"sHonkr
81 thought it was a dream followed
by a nervous shock.
Z" "'Honk! hoHkp
There it was again. in the yard. I
was surely awake and in my senses.
II heard the geese cackle-
"'Ho9k! honE! honkp
81 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 neighbor's geese stolen
awayP
II should have thought so, and should
not have felt disturbed, but for the
reason that none of the neighbors'
geese had that peculiar call-that horn
ike tone that had noticed in mine.
al went out of the door.
''The third goose looked like the very
gander had given Nathaniel. Could
1t be?
81 did not sleep. 1 rose early and
went 10 the crib for some corn.
ut t0ds a gander-a wild gander-
that had come in the night. He seemed
to know me.
81 trembled all over as though 1 had
seen a ghost was so faint that / sat
doyn on the meal-chest.
''As was in that place, a bill pecked
against the door. The door opened.
The strange gander came hobbling over
the crib-stone and went to the corn-bin.
He stopped there, looked at me, and
gave sort of glad ''honk." as though
IL n