Sacramento daily record-union. [volume] (Sacramento [Calif.]) 1875-1891, 1883-12-08
A Thanksgiving Dinner that Flew Away

as we were sitting on the lawn before the
door. SIS it because he is a. kind of q
Watchdog, and keeps troublesome people
away"
"No, child, no | do not wish to keep
most people away, not well behaved peo-
pie, nor to distress nor annoy any one. The
fact is, there is story about that gander
that | do not like to speak OF TO every one
something that makes me feel tender
toward him so that if he needs whip
ping, I would rather do it. He knows
something that no one else knows. You
have heard NE speak OF Nathaniel, my
oldest boy %
eyes"
Z" That is his picture in my room, you
know. l loved Nathaniel-you cannot
think how much | loved Nathaniel. 1t
was on my account that he went away.
1.-THE farm did not produce enough for
us all. One year-that was ten years ago
we were sued for our taxes.
! "' Nathaniel said l, L will take
boarders.
Then he looked up to me and said (Oh,
how noble and handsome he appeared to
me >:
"' Mother, will go to sea-
"' Where? asked l, in surprise.
In a coaster,
"'You and John can manage the place,
| he continued. 'O1e of the vessels sails
next week-Uncle Aarons; he offers to
take me.
at seemed best, and he made prepare
tions to 60.
THE spring before, Skipper Ben-you
have met Skipper Ben-had given me some
goose eggs; he had brought them from
| Canada, and said that they were wlld.goose
eggs.
81 set them under hens. In four weeks
1 had three goslings, and one of those Cos
| lings ia that gander.
"Skipper Ben came over to see me the
day before Nathaniel was to sail. Aaron
came with him.
"'What can give to n athaniel to carry
| to sea with him to make him think of
home Cake, preserves, apples? 1 haven't
| got much | have done all l can Tor 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 will
| have it for our Thanksgiving dinner.
I
| The young gander was noble bird, the
handsomes5 OF the lot and resolved to
keep the geese to kill for my own use, and
to give him to Nathaniel.
1.-THE next morning-it was late in Sep
| tember-I took leave of Nathaniel.
tried to be calm and cheerful and hopeful.
watched him as he went down the walk
with the gander struggling under his arms.
] A -, mould hapa 1anpha1 hut T. I'D
not feel like laughing although the boys
who were coasting were usuaily gone but
few months and came home hardy and
happy.
top he stopped and held up the gander.
! He disappeared yes, my own Nathaniel
disappeared. think Of him now as one
who disappeared.
November came--it was a terrible
month On the coast that year. Storm fol-
lowed storm the sea-faring people talked
J constantly of wrecks and losses. | could
not sleep on the nights of those high winds.
used to lie awake thinking over all the
happy hours had lived with Nathaniel.
/ Thanksgiving week came.
! sit was full OF an Indian. summer
brightness after the long storms. The
l.aights were frosty, bright and calm.
L 81 could sleep on those cslm nights.
\ "One morning, l thought [ had heard
strange sound in the woodland pasture.
It was like wild goose. Iiisteaed; 1t
was repeated. | was lying in bed. l
started up-I Thought I 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.
was thinking of Nathaniel, and | wondered
if he would indeed have the gander for his
Thanksgiving dinner-if it would be
cooked as well IS I would have cooked
it, and if he would think OF me that day.
Il was Just going to sleep, when sud.
denly l heard sound that made me START
up aad hold my breath.
:" Honk ?
81 thought it was dream followed by
nervous shock.
"' Honk honk !
"There it was again, in the yard. was
aur5ly awake aud in my senses.
q beard the geese cackle.
&c onk honk honk p
~ got out Of bed aud lifted the curtain.
Il was almost as light as day. Instead of
two geese there Were three. Had one of
"I 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-like tone that / had
noticed in mine.
81 went out of the door.
"The third goose looked like the very
cander | had given Nathaniel. Could 1t
b.?
al did not sleep. rose early and went
10 the crib for some corn.
at was q gander-a wild gsnder-
that had come in the night. He seemed
to know me,
g trembled all over as though 1 had
seen a ghost. / was SO faint that l sat
down on the meal chest.
CAS- | vas in that place bill peeked !
against the door. Tue door opened. The |
strange eander came hobbiing over the |
crih-stovr 70d went to the corn. bin. He |
stopped 5agre, looked at me, aud gave
sort Of glad honk, as though he knew |
me and was glad to see ne.
u was certain he was the gander had |
raised, and that Nathaniel had lifted into |
the ar when ne gave me his last recogni- !
ton from the top Of the bill
at overcamesme. 1t was ThsDksgiv- |
ing. The church bell would soon be ring !
ing as on Sunday. And here was Nathan
ie'ss Thanksgiving dinner ; and brother |
Aaron s-had it flown away: Where was
the vessel?
Years have psssed-ten. You know |
waited and waited for nay boy to come !
back. December grew dark with its rainy |
seas the SHOWS fell +; May lighted up the
hills but the vessel never came back. |
Nathaniel-my Nathaniel never returned. |
That gander knows something he could |
tell me il he could talk. Birds have men, |
cries. He remembered the corn-crib-he |
remembered something else. | wish he
could talk, poor bird wish he could |
talk. | will never sell him, nor Kill him, |
nor have him abused. He knows p Heze- |