Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1894-11-17

stepped to the edge Of the curb and apos-
trophized the universe generally.
Look at the shop he said; it's twenty
minutes to twelve. and there's seven dozen
geese hanging there that I'm willing to give
away, and this fool asks me If L want to
buy another
81 perceived then that my notion had been
foolish one. and 1 followed the police
mans advice, and went away quietly, TAX
ing the bird with me.
Then said to myself: I'll give,i 1t away.
III pick out some poor deserving person.
and make them a present of the id
thing. / passed a good many people, but
no one who looked deserving enough. 1t
may have been the time or it may have
been the neighborhood, but those / met
seemed to me to be unworthy of the bird.
/ offered 1t to a man in Judd street, who
l thought appeared to be hungry. He turn
ed out to be drunken ruffian. 1 could not
make him understand what 1 meant, and
'he followed me down the road abusing me
at the top of his voice, until, turning
corner without knowing it, he plunged
down Tavistock place, shouting after the
wrong man. In the Euston road 1 stopped
half-starved child and pressed it upon
her. She answered Not mel! and ran away.
J. herd her calling shrilly after me: Who
stole the goose?
Il dropped it In a dark part of Seymour
street man picked it up and brought it
after me. 1 was unequal to any more ex-
plantations or arguments. l gave him two
pence and plodded on with it once more.
*,
one for final drink. AS matter of fact
l had had enough already being as / am,
unaccustomed to anything more than an
occasional glass of beer But 1 felt de-
pressed, and 1 thought ii might cheer me.
| think 1 had gin, which is a thing
loathe.
Il meant to throw it over into Oakley
square, but a policeman had his eye on
me, and followed me twice round the rail-
ings. In Golding road 1 sought to drop it
down an area, but was frustrated In like
manner. The whole night police OF Lon
don seemed to have nothing else to do
but prevent my getting rid of the goose.
They appeared so anxious about it that
L fancied they might like to have il. /
went up to one in Camden street. / called
him Bobby and asked him If he wanted
a goose.
80 III tell you what don't want he re-
piled. severely; 'andfthat is none of your
sauce
He was very insulting, and / naturally
answered him back. What actually passed
1 forget, but it ended in his announcing
his intention of taking me in charge.
II slipped out of his hand and bolted
down King street He blew his whistle
from a doorway in College street and tried
to stop me. l tied him up with a butt in
the stomach and cut through the Cres-
cent, doubling back into the Camden road
by Bait street.
AT the canal bridge looked behind me
and could see no one. i dropped the goose
o DafaDeI i
into the water.
"Heaving a sigh of relief, I turned and
crossed into Randolph street, and there
constable collared me. l was arguing with
him when the first fool came up breath
less. They told me l had better explain
the matter to the inspector, and l thought
so, too.
1.-The inspector asked me why I had run
away when the constable wanted TO take
me in charge. replied that it was because
1 did not desire to spend my Xmas holidays
in the lookup, which he evidently regarded
a Singularly weak argument. He asked
me what / had thrown into the canal. /
told him a goose. He asked ME why l had
thrown a goose into the canal. / told him
because was sick and tired Of the animal.
''At this stage sergeant came in TO say
that they had succeeded in picking UP the
parcel. They opened ii on the inspectors
table. 1t contained a dead baby.
81 pointed out to them that ii wasn't
my parcel. and that 1t wasn't my baby, but
they hardly took the trouble to disguise
the fact that they did not believe me.
1.-The inspector said 1t was too grave a
case for bail, which, seeing that / did not
know soul In London, was somewhat inn
material. / got them to send telegram to
my young lady to say that / was unavoida-
and uneventful Xmas day and boxing day
es | ever wish to spend.
I'm the end the evidence against me was
held to be insufficient to justify convic-
drunk and disor derby. But lost my situa-
ton and / lost my young lady. and don't
care II l never see a goose again.
We were nearing Liverpool street. He
collected his luggage. and, taking up his
hat, made an attempt to put IL on his head.
But in consequence of the swelling caused
by the horseshoe 1t would not go any
where near him, and he laid it sadly back
upon the seat.
NO." he said quietly. 81 can't say that 1
believe very much In luck.