Grant County herald. [volume] (Lancaster, Wis.) 1850-1968, 1890-05-22
MAJOR PApoLEFooT.

Entertaining story of His Unexpected
Capture and Release.
Major Paddlefoot lived with Aunt
Hepzi bah Dunn. He was rather crusty
old fellow, and disliked children beyond
every thing and, those who visited at
Aunt IIepzibah's were cautious about
making very close acquaintance with
him.
He had lost one eye in battle when
younger. but the other one did duty for
two very admirably, and wary indeed
must be the boy or girl who could pry
about his private apartments without
getting caught, and paying dear for the
liberty taken.
Although a seemingly well-meaning
parent, he was a tyrant in his family,
and poor Mrs. Paddlefoot had little to
say for herself, but went about very
meekly in gray gown, asserting to all
he said.
And he was forever talking begin
ming nobody knows at what time in
the morning, waking up the entire Pad
dlefoot family, getting them into a per-
feet pow-wow and disturbing the whole
house, so that it was mercy if one got
a wink of sleep after midnight
! wondered at Aunt Hepzibah's pa
thence with the Major, but he had lived
with her many years, and she had got
used to his clacking. Besides, he and
his family brought much profit to her
in down, feathers and plump, yellow
goslings every year.
Yes, indeed! The MAJOR was huge,
fierce old gander, with a coat as white
and glistening as the snow widespread
ing red feet always looking nearly
frozen, and a beak that had the grip of
pair of pinchers.
One spring little Mercy Tucker came
to visit Aunt Iepzibah, and it was just
at the season when Major Paddlefoot
was bringing out a large family-the
tenth in the course Of his life.
1t was trying period and he was
cross. All day he stood by the goose
house door with his long neck stretched
high and his one eye out for danger.
Mercy wanted to look at and pet the
little downy balls under the old goose's
wings, but the Major promptly seized
her black-stockinged leg, bit like
dragon, and drubbed her with his broad
wings till Aunt Hepzibah ran ont and
beat him off with the broom.
Although the Major kept watch all
day, he slept-where do you think? in a
shallow pool back OF the barn, where all
night he sat amidst the stars and the
new moon that winked and shone up at
him from the clear, icy pool till he hid
his head in the snowy feathers and went
to sleep.
One night, the first of April, the
weather was very cold. and the next
morning, when Mercy went out, Major
Paddlefoot was not at his post. She
looked in the goose-house, the playhouse
and at the corn-crib, where he used often
to take early breakfast; but the Major
was not to be seen.
Then she ran out to the pool and 10!
there he still sat. While he had slept
Jack Frost had tucked him into bed so
snugly that he could not get out, but he
ran out his long neck at her and Kissed
like great snake.
However, she did not fear him now
and was in no hurry to release him. So
Mercy went back to Mistress Goose. ex-
amined her family at leisure. then took
a short rope, made a big moose in it and
returned to the pool.
The anxious Major was now calling
loudly for assistance, and Mercy, edging
up as near as she dared, threw the moose
over him and ran with the other end of
the rope in her hand.
Hiss S-s-s-S-si QU-A-A-A-ARKl''
Out came the Major topsy-turvey, his
big, red feet flying up, leaving a thick
row of white feathers all around the
hole in which he had sat. Then he
wsddled off, scolding and kissing and
shaking his wings, to relate the affair
to Mistress Paddlefoot. Youths Com
nanion