The Colfax chronicle., 1893-06-17
LOUISIANA.
HE PUT GEESE TO RoosT.

His knowledge of Farming.
Don't talk of agriculture to a far
ner," was Daniel Webster's advice to
a friend. discuss any other subject
with him-art, literature, political
economy, finance-but never farming;
for if you once launch forth on that he
will find you at fault in some particu-
lar and conclude that ignorant in one
thing you are ignorant in all"
This advice was recalled by gentle
man of this city recently upon hearing
of the experiences of an amateur far
mer. a friend of his, who. after long
and active career, in which he had
achieved fame and fortune, relin-
quished an extensive practice of law
for bucolic superintendent over an
estate not hundred miles from New
York.
Shortly after he assumed the man.
agement of his farm the lawyer re-
ceived visit from one of his neighbors,
a shrewd old farmer who had never
been a hundred miles away from his
home. Various matters were discussed,
as together they walked about the
farmyard inspecting the new windmill,
improved water troughs, cattle sheds
and other ''new tangled fixings."
Naturally the amateur betrayed his
gross ignorance to his more practical
and experienced companion. The lat
ter was something of a wit and at last,
in visiting the poultry yard, ventured
a suggestion. This is all very fine."
he said, as he glanced about, ''but
where do your ducks and geese roost at
night?"
II never thought of that" replied
the amateur 1--WE seen them squat
ting around at night and thought they
liked that. I'll have it attended to at
once. Low roosts l suppose would be
the best?''
The farmer thought they would.
"Place them about two feet from the
ground" he remarked, and then, smil-
ing in his sleeves, unhitched his old
mare and drove away home.
Not moment was lost by the former
New Yorker. He erected his duck
roosts, and at nightfall visited his
poultry yard to observe how the fowls
enjoyed the innovation. To his chagrin
they appeared to ignore the roosting
place and were squatting as before on
the ground.
Poor things, I've neglected them
too long," thought the humane anna
teur. ''They don't realize the change"
With that he began to grab at ducks
and brakes and geese and ganders and
deposit them one by one on the roost.
There was terrible commotion among
the fowls, which attracted all the farm
hands with shotguns to the poultry
yard.
When they arrived there they saw
their employer, perspiring and red in
the face, trying to balance the web
footed creatures on the roost, from
which they fell with terrible "quack,
quacks," the moment his back was
turned. It was not long before the
truth dawned upon him that ducks and
geese were intended by nature to
squat" not to roost.
lie returned to his house deeply
ashamed of his ignorance and speedily
became the laughing stock of the coun-
try round. The illustration of Web
ster's advice came in the form of an en-
tire disregard thereafter of any opin-
ions expressed by the man. In New
York his utterances had been re garded
as words of wisdom, upon no matter
what subject expressed, but in the
country they were greeted with: 20,
pshaw, he don't know nothin'. He puts
geese to roost."-N. Y. Herald.
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