Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1896-04-09
OLD KING.

Penfeld possessed gander which
was nearly twice as large as an ordi-
nary goose. Its strength was SO eX-
traordinary that when it once struck
my grandfather on his leg with one
of its wings, the old gentleman had to
go limping to the house in great pain.
1t was week before he could walk
freely again.
The gander had been named King
because of his undisputed mastery
over the barn-yard \ great Shang-
hal rooster named Andrew jackson
had reigned supreme among the barn
yard fowls before Kings advent, but
Andrew and King had fought for su-
premacy before King was half-grown,
and the result was that Andrew lost
not only his crown but every one Of
his tail feathers but one. He fled
squawking from the field, to become
one of the most obedient Of Kings
subjects from that time forth.
Even the pigs were afraid Of King;
and our old dog Tobe went to his
grave lacking about an inch OF his
tail, which he lost in a contest with
the great gander over crust Of bread.
Tobe was that day added to the num-
Der of Kings subjects.
Whenever Norah Rooney, my grand
mothers maid Of all work, went to the
barn-yard, she carried an old broom
handle with which to resist the attacks
Of that "murtherin ould goose Some
times she returned to the house with
her skirts tightly grasped in King
bill, while his wings tapped wildly
behind her
Grandfather always maintained that
King had genuine sense Of humor
and that he often put Norah and 9th
ers to flight merely for fun. His
squawking, after an exploit Of this
kind, did sometimes sound like an at
tempt at jeering laugh.
We had an old turkey gobbler that
King tormented steadily in what
seemed to be simply spirit Of mali
cious fun.
Often when the gobbler spread his
tail and pulled himself up for a lord
ly strut, King ran toward him with
what grandfather called a "stop-that
hiss, and the poor gobbler's strutting
would come to a sudden end. Then
King would "laugh' his squawking
laugh
Kings rage was something to fear
Such kissing and squawking and beat
ing Of wings and flashing Of his red
eyes as there would be when he was
seriously angry The other fowls
would fly in terror
King was very useful fowl He
killed a hawk that had been a scourge
to the bam-yard hens, and he would
assail a rat as fercely as cat would.
Pilfering boys in the neigbbcrhood
kept out of grandfather's orchard if
King happened to be in sight.
He had been known to put a wood
chuck to flight, aud he killed every
snake he saw. He did not like to see
strangers about the place, and We kept
them away from him if possible.
One day grandfather and all the
other members Of the family except
grandmother went to the town to a
great barbecue Even Norah and the
two hired men had been allowed to 90.
Grandmother remained at home be-
cause she disliked being IN crowd,
and because the weather was so hot.
1t was indeed so warm by ten 0 clock
that grandmother closed all the win
dow-bliuds and, taking her rocking
chair to front porch half covered
with morning-glory vines, prepared to
keep cool and quiet and comfortable
all day
She was hemmiug some towels, and
had been at work on them for about
an hour when she heard the latch Of
the front gate click and, peeping out
between the vines, saw tramp COM
ing toward the house.
Tramps were common enough on
that country road and generally harm
less, but this man looked particularly
evil. Ragged and dirty and showing
signs of having been drinking, his ap-
pearance was such that grandmother
shuddered as he drew near.
As he stopped at the foot Of the
steps grandmother said What do
YOU want?" She tried to be as calm
and selt-possessed as possible
The closed house and barn and the
stiffness that reigned about the place
-,,,.oJ +ba faIlou- tbat grandmother