Wichita eagle., 1889-08-08
ghe dhhta pai1y gane: ghnsdag gouiuo suoust 1888

gioes'or the circle together, 30 that he was
virtually standing In the stirrups OF bis
many winged steed but he was standing on
| his hands and bis arms began to tire. The
geese on his right and left were so close that
| their wings rubbed against his bare sides and
chafed them They tickled bis ribs, and but
for the peril and pain of the situation he
would have been forced into Involuntary
| laughter
BE was many times reminded Of the ludi-
crous aspect of the situation, and repeatedly
| asked himself whether be was not the biggest
J goose in the lot.
IAN thought of mirth soon left him. The
situation had changed from discomfort to ex-
| IRENE peril. The muscles of his arms could
not stand it much longer. A cold sweat gath
cred on his brow and he began to nerve him
self for the worst. Hs was resolved to face
death like a brave man, and he almost con-
WINGED himself that be was willing to 60, but
| to die at the hands of lot of geese was ads
grace to which his lofty spirit would not be
reconciled
40 the bitterness Of this disgrace and the
agony of leaving all that was dear In Life,
new and unspeakable horror was now added.
He was passing over town and he could SEQ
| the people gather in clusters along the streets
and twist their necks to look up In the sky.
II was large town and the suburbs stretched
! away for nearly a mile. To his unutterable
horror he remembered that he had left his
clothes on the bank Of the creek. Even If he
had had them 1t would have been impossible
to put them on. This new tangled vehicle Of
his had no facilities for making toilettes and
I Co., ,ooI h
out any of the superfuities Of fashion. Not
even a fig leaf encountered Lis person. II
was an admirable flying costume, but was
not appropriate for public performance.
He was just congratulating himself that he
was too far above those curious eyes for them
to discover his costume when he saw that one
group held something in their hands. 1t was
a long field glass. He bent his ag4nized face
once more rigidly to the front. AZ least they
would not recognize him.
Just at this time he noticed tnat the oc-
casional cronks began to grow feebler, and
that the geese appeared to labor in their
fight. They were becoming tired, and must
inevitably sink under his weighs very soon.
Then he prayed that the wings q the geese
might be strengthened for a season. He was
willing even, like Jonah, to be cast into the
sea; anything, rather than land In that town.
Then he clucl1ed encouragingly to his fourteen
winged steeds and gently jerked the cord as
if he were jerking the reins Of his horse, but
still they labored. The old gander's hoarse
'cr1nkl cronkr seemed to mock him in his
despair and his downcast spirit began to sink.
''An at once he heard something whiz by
him and he saw puff Of blue smoke away
down below. A second or two later he heard
the sharp crack Of a rife, the sound having
Travelled slower than the ball.
'His blood almost froze in his veins. Hor-
ror had been added to horror, and his spirits
sank In the depths of despair.
but the darkest hour was just before the
dawn. The whiz Of the bullet and the report
of the gun had frightened the geese and
nerved them to renewed exertjons. They
made one desperate effort to reach the friendly
cover of the woods. Lundsford's spirits rose
as he saw that the geese were likely to accom-
plish their object Now the cronks of the
gander seemed more cheerful. and the breezes
brought a grateful GOODNESS to the mans fe-
vered brow. He began to hear the solemn
laugh of the forest as the suburbs disappeared
and the song of the pines soothed him like On
eoltan harp
A mile or so from town the gander gave
pcCUlieI SiOtlh az Cilo oif, VI "dLOi, duu
the geese began ciroling to descend. With
an indescribable feeling Of relief, Lundsford
frightened his grip as bis winged chariot
swung round the circle and he rocked not
out Of the icy GOODNESS Of the pool into which
he was plunged.
Having made fast the end of the cord to a
tree he began to consider what he would do.
Fortunately at this juncture he heard dog
harl- and following frian1lv sound ba
soon came In sight Of a cabin In clearing.
Con sailing himself in the underbrush, he
shouted loud hello. A woman came to the
door, looked around curiously and went back.
"'Hellop ne cried again.
Then the man came to the door and he
recognized former tenant.
Hello, Goddardr he cried.
"'Hello yourself; but why don't you
come out Of the brushr
because l amt fitten-'
saint fittenP
"'No, haven't got on any clothes.'
"'Who are you, anyhow
"'Come a little nearer and I'll tell you
"The man was little skeptical and camo
out cautiously with his gun in his hand.
"'Who are you nowf ne called out when
thirty steps off.
"'Sam Lundsford.'
''Sam Lundsford in that fix. Well, l
reckon III have TO help you out And he
went in and got the best suit of clothes he
could spare and flung them over in the
bushes. Sam jumped into them and then
sheepishly came forward and told bis story.
"Goddard's eyes opened wide as he listened,
and be evidently thought Lundsford was OFF
his balance, but when he went with him to
the creek and saw the wild geese tethered to
the tree he no longer doubted.
Goddard lent him horse and Lundsford
went home lie hitched up his two mules to
the wagon oad went after the deer and
turkeys
she found them just as he had left them,
and loading up the wagon with the game, he
started home.
When he got within couple Of miles Of
his home, heavy shower came up. He got
soaked, but didn't mind that so long as he |
had the turkeys and the deer, while the geese
had already been carried home
HE forgot all about his rawhide traces, |
and did not notice that they were stretching. |
He beStrode one Of the mules, and they quiet |
ly walked on. 1t was q straight road home, |
with only little undulating
when he stopped the mules in the yard |
and diSrnounted. he was astonished to find |
that there was no wagon in sight There were |
the traces, stretching away over the hill In |
parallel lines as far as he could see Taking |
in the situation at q glance. he drove the |