Evening star., 1940-06-02
= YoNDY wanted geese He said if he had
" geese he'd feel rich
I said "All right 90 oct vol,r geese "

1'ONDI WdHlcu RcCSc. TIC SdlQ ii IlC IdQ
geese he'd feel rich.
said, "All right, 60 get your geese"
All knew about them was that they were
good to eat - and very silly.
But geese aren't silly. Whoever first spread
that idea was crazy. Geese dumb Wait till
l tell you about the Stevensons:
The Stevensons weren't our first geese.
The General with his wife and children came
first; then Sergeant Murphy with his wife and
his children. BY that time the word had got
around that we bought geese, and people
travelled miles to sell us geese. Pretty soon
we had fifty or sixty grazing companionably
in the back field.
Then we read in the county paper that
man taking short cut across neighbors
back yard had been chased and fogged by
gander. Vondy chuckled and said, Nov
somebody will be selling us more geese
Somebody did. That's how we got the
Stevensons
The Stevensons were old. They had been
winning prizes at the county fair for years.
They were so old that we weren't sure they
ever would breed again. But they were a
splendid pair, perfectly matched, broad and
deep in the body. and closely feathered.
The Stevensons weren't like other geese.
They found their own grazing grounds, and
if some of the others joined them the Steven
sons quietly and politely moved on. They
were always quiet, always gentle; but they
made it plain that they wanted to be alone.
There was an understanding, companion
ship, between Mr. and Mrs. Stevenson like
that of old people who have been happily
married for long time.
Immune TO WonderIvst
ALL came on, and wild geese sailed in great
wedges across the sky. Our tame geese
roamed farther every day. and restlessness
came over them as though they too wanted
to fly south Only the Stevensons seemed
immune to the wanderlust. They waddled
toward us happily at feeding time with their
long necks stretched and their yellow bills
clacking. We couldn't understand how Mr..
. Stevenson had ever been angry enough to
thrash man.
Then one afternoon in January the tele-
phone rang, long. loud ring, as though the
operator knew it was important - which,
probably, she did.
1t was our most elegant neighbor, who lived
down the road. She didn't say Hello" or
How dyou do" She just shouted: Come
get those awful creatures at oncep'
said, sort of feebly What creatures"
You know perfectly well!' she yelled
You'll pay for the damage too" She hung
up.
raced to the barn, wildly checking animals
as ran, and told Vondy. We piled into the
car, asking ourselves. Dogs? Cats? Horse?
Cow? Geese? Chickens"
The door of our elegant neighbor's home
opened as the Car stopped, and a frightened
looking maid said, Hurry, sir. Please!
They're in the living room.'
Then the lady of the house appeared
We'll, it's about time you got here" she said.
Vondy said, But what - ?"
You'll pay for the damage too! Running
my house! Breaking up my bridge party!'
Then we noticed, huddled behind her,
three other ladies looking respectively fright
ened, angry and amused.
They came right in with me" the scared
one said Il didn't know what to do"
We're terribly sorry" Vondy said, and
started toward the living room: The ladies
squeaked and backed into the dining room
as he opened the door, Mrs. Stevenson was
so,,attino IN the hearth r11o nlacidlv m,,nch-