The guardian. [volume] (Boston, Mass.) 1901-1960, 1939-09-09
The Wild Goose
By EDNA BARNES
ASSOCIATED Newspapers.)
WNU Service.

WISu size HedIu d ldlHI HOIlh coming
from the air above her. Startled
from an abstraction, she lifted her
dark eyes to the wedge-shaped flight
of wild fowl which was dimly de-
fined against the autumnal grayness
of the sky. One straggler labored
far behind the procession.
"He won't get far, poor thing"
she told herself.
Again came the sound of honk,
nearer this time. Nan sped toward
the creek which marked the bound
airy of the premises. Peeping over
the fence she saw a gray shape
floating upon the icy water. The
wild goose! Unable to fly farther,
he had come down to rest.
A third honk, altogether different
from the others, split the air. A
car had driven into the yard and
had stopped at the back door.
Mans stepson, George and his wife,
Pearl, had returned from town.
''What are you doing down there
by the creek in this cold?" Pearl
demanded.
Nan flushed. GA wild goose came
down"
"a wild goose!" shouted George.
'Im going to get my gun and shoot
him. Gosh, Pearl! Think of tasting
wild goose again!"
Nan caught his arm. ''Please,
George, let him live. Don't harm
him. He's just a tired old gander."
George flung off her restraining
hands.
"Do you want that goose for your
Sunday dinner, Pearl?" he asked.
81 sure do"
'That settles it." George dashed
to the house. His gun stood just in
side the door. 1t was loaded, for he
had been hunting skunks the night
before. He seized the shining, dead
ly thing, and, with it in his hand,
ran toward the creek.
There was crashing report from
the direction of the creek. Nan put
her hand to her throat. A moment
later she heard Pearl cry out,
Good for you'll" George was out
side the window. He stood holding
his limp trophy up against the pane
for his wife to see.
Nan went into the dining-room and
began to walk round and round the
table she had set for supper.
Suddenly Nan could bear it no
longer. She hurried up stairs to her
room. 1t was a dear, warm little
room, containing her most intimate
personal belongings. Taking her
suitcase from the closet she began
to fill it with necessary articles
culled from bureau drawers. When
the suitcase was packed she dressed
for a journey.
Her temperance in the kitchen
caused the young couple to ex-
change glances Of alarm.
''Where are you going?" demand
ed Pearl.
"Say! Look here now," clustered
George, you're making too much
fuss about nothing"
Nan laid letter upon the table.
"You can read that after I'm gone"
she said quietly. tits from your
| Aunt Libby, George-your fathers
| sister. got it today while you were
gone. Libby wants me to come and
live with her this winter. She's
poorly. She sent me money for
my ticket I've decided to go, that's
ALL"
1t was past ten that night when
Nan opened the door of a small
shop on the main street of a lively
town and surprised the shop-keeper,
a gray-haired woman, who was get
ting ready to close up. The wom-
an glanced at Nan as at last
customer, then her face glowed with
surprise and pleasure.
''My sakes! Nan, l never expect
ed to see you, leastways as soon as
this?" she cried.
Libby Hale was costly situated,
Nan found. She had never been
there before. Over a pot of tea
and a plate of toast they sat down
to talk
Eve been wanting to send for
you this long while" Libby said.
"Ever since my husband died. I'm
no great hand to run shop. But,
of course, my living is there. l
suspect you know all about buying
and selling, Nan. You worked in a
store before you married my broth
err. Since got poorly I've often
thought it would be so nice if you
could come here and help me. Doc
tor thinks l should go away and take
cure, and maybe can now you've
come. Anyway, I need you more
than those young stepfolks of
yours"
Shouldn't wonder" Nan sighed.
"But you know when a woman's
widowed and childless she likes to
feel somebody belongs to her.
hung on there partly on that account
and partly because the house was
as much my house as theirs. Your
brother left it that way. He never
dreamed that things would turn
out so. You know, Sister Lib,
was getting too tired to keep UP
with the flock" She was unaware
of Mrs. Hale's astonished gaze as