The Fairmont West Virginian. (Fairmont, W. Va.) 1904-1914, 1913-12-26

in his worldly ways and his rule wa
to Just that he was respected ami
obeyed by the geese and we'll spoken
of by the farmer. Even the fox, who
had tried many times in vain to cir,
cumvent him. and who had sworn
by the beard of his father to eat him
some day, was fair-minded enough
to say:
HE sure is a wise old guy and no
bob-tailed weasel need spend any
time trying to get the better OF him."
After years of meritorious conduct
and just as he was about to have a
statue erected to him and his many
virtues inscribed on the pedestal
there came into the neighborhood an
eagle, and soon there was much talk
Of the event.
What grand fight he hast" en-
claimed a goose.
"And how nlgn ne can ascend"
added the duck.
"He hasn't got any plumes, but
he's a beaut all right" put in the
peacock.
~ thought something would come
along to take the starch out of the
old boy" remarked the rooster as he
strutted about and crowed three
times.
The old gander not only overheard
these remarks and many others, but
could not fail to observe the change
Of attitude among the fowls. and liz
went ont behind the barn and sail
to himself:
They want me to play second fid
die to the eagle, do they? He's tho
bird for their money, is he? Well
l don't take back seat for anything
on this earth with wings, and they
shall soon know it,
And thereupon, in order to get a
day off and consult the sage, he gave
out that he was going to the county
convention to keep the grafters down.
Hello, Judge, but how does ii
go?" was the salutation he got as
he found the sage seated under a
chestnut tree.
20, wise man, they are threatening
to COX my goose back home" was the
reply.
hut why? thought you were
all solid there 4
Il was right enough till u blamed
old bald-headed eagle come swagger.
ing around"
"Ah, See"
They can't praise him enough
and l am no longer knee-high."
well, the eagle is some pump.
kins."
And amt IL"
Yes, Of course, but you were
Matched a gander."
That's what | came to see you
about want to be an eagle"
But who will run the barnyard
If You go cayorting around among
the clouds?" .a
Let the gobbler do it."
But he has no firmness OF charac.
ter, and will soon have things in a
jamglc."
II hope he will. The fowls have
got stuck on that emblem of liberty
and let them have il trial at it.
have done my best, but they DOM
appreciate it. Yes, ! want to be an
eagle"
~ would advise against it," sale
the sage, after a silence. THE posi-.
tion that one is born to fill will come
to him. AS Il gander you are sue.
cess, as an eagle you may be a
dismal failure"
Then you don't want to do me
a favor-the first ever asked oil
you?" petuIantly remarked the gan.
der.
why, II you put it that way
preston! change!"
And the gander went sailing into
the blue emgerean, and for a time hs
considered himself the whose show
and the ticket wagon besides. After
a while, however, he thought he
would descend and get the congratu'
lations Of the fowls, and he had come
near to earth when lie caught hi.
tlroat against a telephone wire anG
sawed his head off. As the sage haC
Iintimated the gobbler was not the
bird to bass barnyard, and on the
death OF the gander the fowls scat
tered to the great loss Of the owner
Moral-The village cooper may
turn out beautiful pork barrel ant
yet not be success as mayor Of III:
town.