Courier Democrat. (Langdon, N.D.) 1891-1920, 1893-04-27
FOR THE YOUNG PEOPLE.
INTERESTING ANECDOTES AND
SKETCHES FOR THE YOUNG.
NOT Such Geese After All--Ortgir
OF the Term "Horse-Power''--
The Arabs Are Expert SWIM
mers-The Name Amused
Aer-Eown the Pass.
Not Such Geese, After All.

Not Such Geese, After All.
A person quite devoid of common
sense is sometimes called "a perfect
goose" and the bird has always been
considered a particularly embarrassing
and stupid creature, to be tolerated
only when roasted and stuffed with on
ions. There are stories, however, of
some geese which show that this is
quite mistake. and that goose may
he quite as intelligent as many ami
mails which rank higher.
A scotch goose once made friendly
advances to dog that, probably be-
cause of bad temper, was kept
chalned most of the time; and although
the dog would never permit any of
the other poultry to approach him,
MS manner to the goose was quite af-
1ectlonate. Being sufficiently encour-
aged, she made him frequent visits to
ms Kennel. and even made her nest
III the straw, and laid her eggs there.
This went on until some one noticed
and reported the strange friendship.
When the family went to examine into
the state of affairs. But the dog OBJ
Jected strongly to the meddling with
the eggs that had been left in his care,
and It was only after some trouble that
they We're found under the straw in
coy heap Of down and feathers. Not
the least interesting part of it was to
see the dog go into his box in the most
careful way for fear of injuring the
eggs. and it never seemed to occur to
him that the goose was an intruder.
Geese. too, can tell their own eggs
from others that are very much like
them. A goose that was sitting on sew
eral eggs was supplied by the dairy
maid with an equal number of ducks
eggs because she thought that so large
a bird ought to be able to hatch a
larger brood than her own. But the
next morning the girl found all the duck
eggs on the ground; they had been
taken out of the nest and placed there
without breaking. She put them back
again, but it was Of no use; the goose
would have nothing to do with them,
and deposited them on the ground as
before. Fearing lest she should leave
the nest in disgust, the dairymaid did
not dare to persevere with the duck
eggs. and Madame Goose came off tri-
umphaut from the contest.
a still more remarkable goose was
one. that took an old blind woman to
church and brought her back again.
This was in Germany, where geese
are made much of. This particular goose
which was probably pet, would take
hold of the old woman's dress with
its BILL and lead her to her seat. Then
the faithful attendant would go into
the church-yard and Craze until the
service was ended, when it took the
old woman in charge again, and con-
veyed her safely home. The family
said, when demonstrated with for trust
ing an old blind woman so far out of
sight, that they had no fear for her
safety when the gander was with her.
A very affectionate goose was so de-
voted to its master, an ancient Roman
philosopher, that it followed him about
like a dog, and would not leave him
unless forced to do so, during the whole
twentyfour hours. 1t looked rather
odd to see so wise Il man attended on
the street by a goose, but follow him
it would, and if shut up anywhere it
it always managed to get out and ap-
pear when it was least wanted. Finally,
however, the philosopher, who ike the
rest of his countrymen. was very su-
peIStlllouo, peSdu " lHluh tlluI tuc
gods had sent him this strange attend
ant; and when the goose t;ed, he hon
ored it with a handsome funeral, as
though it had been a valued friend.
Some one who appreciated geese
wrote. in the days of feather beds and
quill-pens: "Of all the birds in the air,
and all the beasts in the field, and all
the fishes in the sea, and all the
FEATURES of inferior kind who pass
their lives wholly or in part, according
to the different stages of their exist
ence, in air, earth or water what
creature has produced directly the most
effect upon mankind? That which you.
reader, will deserve to be called if
you do not, after moments consider
alton, answer the question rightly
The Goose"