The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1896-11-22

don't know" and with face all wrinkles
and full of trouble she caused the dishes to
be removed from the table
The guests sat speeches. around the
empty table, which was left standing in
the middle of the floor. The widow sat
down at the end OF the table and leaned
her head on her hand, and said: Il only
wish that L knew where our boys are to-
day.
In the midst of this mental depression
Annie came gliding into the room With
the widow touched her on the shoulder
Annie what now, girl?"
II have heard IL again, mother
SThe wild goose"
Where, girl?"
"Alone-ail by itself-in the corn field
The men started up, and all of them ex-
cept the parson and the doctor went to the
They returned. having found nothing
The widow met them at the door. She
heard their report and said:
Annie, bring me the dinner horn.
The widow took the horn and sent forth
a peal that echoed loudly and clearly from
the sunset hills.
A trumpet tone answered 1t. 1t was a
sound of joy. Wings rose into the red air;
black wings bearing up a white and black
body. and long neck. 1t was wild goose.
The widow LIE Doit. old as she was. ran
| down the faded garden walk that led to the
| fields. The wild goose lowered his flight as
he saw her. and alighted the grape
vined garden wall, then dropped to the
ground. She. turned toward the door, and
He walked up the gardenway toward the
entry door. He climbed up the stone steps
nd o 9ne the cupboar9 door
with side pressure of his head and bill.
| as the young gander had been used to do
The widow went into the guest room.
| There were smiles on her lips and tears in
| tween the Elder and the Doctor, saying:
THE L'Ouverture is near the coast. The
wild goose has come s99 back again"
Yes, the one that my boy carried away
But that would be extraordinary, very
extraordinary, indeed. How do you know
| that that is the one?"
He knew the way into the house; there
| is only one wild goose in all the world that
| could have known that He followed me,
| and there is no other bird of his kind that
would have done so. And, Doctor. he knew
more than that, he knew the way to the
| dough dish, and he is there now"
Madam, your senses have left you; that
was specter that you saw, a specter from
| has gone down: there is no wild goose in
the cupboard; you will never see that bird
| again, nor the ship, nor. Biel; The Lord
| comfort you. / have studied these things,
and 1 know. A ,specter bird means-that
/ the sea covers all.
There was a great cutlery on the porch.
| The wild goose had come out into the
| try and Annie had clasped him in her arms,
saying: Tell me what you know"
The girl came bringing the goose into
| the great room and set him down on top of
! the long dining table, and the room filled
| with people.
| The news of the strange, event flew
through the town, and the kindred and
| friends of the seven young men who had
| sailed away the LOuverture came run
ming toward the mouse. One poor old moth
| er whose boy had gone came hobbling into
| the room on crutch.
evening in the coast country as that which
| followed. The candles were lighted in the
r and d legs piled upon the fire The The
table. over which lowered the forms of the
Elder and the Doctor. stood the kindred of
seven lads who, three years before. had
gone to sea. The wild goose knew the fate
OF these sailor boys. if. indeed, it were a
wild goose; they did not.
The Elder lifted his hands.
"Oh. my friends" said he what would
we give. what would We do. what would
we say at this hour, if that wild goose
The good mans heart went out in pity
to the excited people around him, and he
voiced the helplessness of the strange and
unaccountable event as he exclaimed:
Speak. speak o thou dumb bird Thou
thou vert; captive. and with a nature
formed for the marshes. the woods and the
air. Speak: speak. Where are the hands
that tanned thee; where are the faces that
have kept thee tame for the last three
'Biel! oh. where is Biel, you poor dumb
bird?" said the widow.
Ask the waves of the sea-" said the
doctor
"Lemuel. where is Lemuel. my boy Lem
uel who all the world to me, all that
I had in the world?' cried the old woman
on the crutch.
doctor Il tell you all. neighbors and
friends, that that amt no real true bird.
That is an eidolon; that is what it is-an
What is an eidolon?"
'Tt is an image of something that has
been, the form of life that once was, such
"a comes in dreams"
The old woman staggered back, and
seemed to slide down on her crutch into
The theological face of the parson be-
came luminous. as though he saw vision.
s Friends said he the , doctor seems to
down into the sea. /. too have kind of
presentimeHt; it came TO me when l was
doctor) that this is no bird of evil omen,
but of good omen; not the raven, but the
dove from the ark 1 seem TO feel that
the boys are coming home again, and that
this goodly town will have such Thanks
giving il never knew before
The old woman with the crutch rose up,
and looked into the TRANSPORTED face Of
the parson.
DO you really think so?, she asked.
Yes my dear woman / 90. There is
a strange new light in my SOUL l think
it is the candle of the Lord; the Lord
| lights it there. sometimes"
The parson liked to use this Hebraic fig
ure: New England itself in mis- view, was
candle of the Lord.
The wild goose's next movement riveted
| all eyes. He drew uo one leg under him.
which caused the parson to smile and the
doctor TO lift his brows. The latter cast
his eyes around inquiringly
What did L tell you?" he said. zone
| of his legs is gone now.
The wild goose put his head under his
| wing. which movement seemed to be a
| good omen to the elder and bad one to
| the doctor.
There" said the latter his head has
gone after his leg; he will all go soon. /
| tell YOU he is eidolon.
The company looked toward the elder.
"Our hearts being prepared" said
| he, for true thanksgiving"
| Hope again lighted all faces. when the
| brought silence and shadow. The company
! stood still. He was about to speak, when
| something happened.
The wild gocses head seemed to shoot
| forth from his body. He shook ii. dropped
| his leg with a backward kick. and uttered
| a soft. pleasant, uncertain sound. and then
| suddenly sent forth a trumDet-like honk
| shrank back, pressing upon each other.
| The doctor ran, crying out The dragonr'
The goose hears something" said Annie.
81 thought that L did. / will go and see.
| am not afraid now. after what the elder
| has said
The girl went out. AS she did SO, she
| met the doctor.
Let me GO" said he. y have seen
| in the world couldn't keep me any longer
| IN place like this"
The widow lie Doit sat with her back
| toward the door. The company was silent,
| but she noticed a look of surprise coming
| into all faces. The old on the
crutch lifted her hand. Then all eyes were
| turned in one direction. and the stiffness
| became nainful. She heard the dog bark