The Manitowoc pilot. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1859-1932, 1892-08-18
mauitouGf 5.llIoi,
THJR SDAY. AUGUST IS, 1892.
HE'S NO SPRING CHICKEN.
But He's Gander and Is One Of the
Oldest Inhabitants.

Over at Tiyola, in Houston county,
there's q most remarkable goose, says
a writer in the Atlanta JoUrHdl He's
a gander belonging to j. A. B. Taylor.
and he goes by the name of DR.. Alex
ander. since he was owned by Dr.
Alexander of Forsyth in the halcyon
days of gOslinghood. The gander is
remarkable for more reasons than one.
In the first place he is so old that he
has worn the web off his feet, and has
lost one eve and all interest in associat-
ing with other geese. For forty-three
years he has gandered it about Tivola,
and now in his old age he is tougher
than rhinoceros, and as ugly as a
pile of homemade sin, since his feath-
ers are all turning the wrong way. He
Is called doctor for short, and it is pref
ty generally conceded that he is some
thing of quack. When he was young
and strong of wing he followed his
master all about the farm, flying after
him when he rode his horse and walk
ing beside him with great composure
when he was afoot, but now that old
age has settled upon him he hangs
around the house acting as a watch
dog and thinking of the days that are
past and gone. for he has seen more
days perhaps than any goose that ever
lived, with the possible exception of
the one that laid the golden egg, or
those that saved Rome in the days of
Old.
The doctor, as | stated above, is a
fine watch dog, and no one ever dares
IN q hnnt thn hnIgn nplnc- bn
makes il known by yelling at the top of
his voice, and if the stranger keeps adj
vancing the old fellow sails right up to
him, bites his legs and beats him with
his wings. Much of the doctors time
is given up to reflection, for Mr.. Taylor
says he lives in the past almost entire
~.
He is historical goose or lander. so
to speak, and he has more to think of
than many other geese. In the DAYS
of his green goSlinghood, before he be-
gan to take much interest in politics,
he used to hear occasional remarks
about the administration of President
Zachary Taylor, and then he used to
stand around on one lee when he was
few years older and listen 10 the
overseers and planters talk about Clay
and Webster while they snapped to-
baeco, and while he slowly winked his
bright blue eyes as he listened.
He heard of the death of Webster in
1852, but he has long since forgotten
it. He was a full-grown goose when
Pierce was elected president. and he
often Kissed at the negroes as they
passed, little dreaming that thew
would cause great trouble to come
upon the south in which he lived. He
waddled around after his master in
1853, and heard the wonderful news
about the cable establishing direct and
quick communication between America
and England. and sti,l he was hale.aud
hearty, fearing neither Christmas time
nor Thanksgiving day, for in early life
he swallowed 4 rabbit foot and a buck
eye,and he was thus saved from moles-
tatiou.
lie heard the excited discussions 90
ing on about Lincoln and the split in
the democratic party-he heard the
talk about secession and he saw scores
of men going off with their guns-but
he did not bother his head about it all,
for grass was plentiful if corn was not,
and he concluded that bio hunt was
on docket. He heard war talk until he
was sick and he heard of Lincoln's as
sasSination and that of Booth following
close upon his heels, and he noticed
that men were less plentiful than they
used to b., but he rejoiced that he was
ne: 81 oftcn penned up. and did not
hc:hcr his head about the tears of
widows whose husbands Law dead on the
battlefield. Oh, no. he was only a goose,
ana ne could not fully appreciate all
these things. but still he saw them. and
soon afterward when deSolation spread
its black pail over the state and
radicalism ran riot he was there to suf-
fer with his friends. whas.were often
hungry, and the only thing that saved
The Little Ones Version.
A party of young people stopped
playing whist long enough the other
evening To hear good story. "Inmy
Snnday-scheol class" said a bright
young woman, lis the sweetest little
cherub YOU ever saw. She is much
younger than the other members. but
she insists upon remaining in my
class. Some days ago | instructed
each Of the little ones To memorize A
verse or sentence from the bible.
Knowing that the infant brain could
not retain a long sentence. the mother
OF my youngest pupil gave the child
the shortest in the good book Jesus
wept. The following SUNDAY called
upon the class TO fulfill my instruc-
lions. Finally | came to Margaret.
What IL yours, my dearg | rsked.
jesus Killed. she lisped. "-kansas City
Times.