GOOSEY, GOOSEY GANDER 145 



chased that pinioned geese show a fine turn of 

 speed. Fly they cannot, so they sprint with expanded 

 wings. 



The goose is a great favourite of mine. The more 

 one sees of the bird the more one hkes it and appreciates 

 its good quahties. It is a creature of character. It 

 rapidly forms attachments, and will sometimes follow 

 about, like a dog, the person to whom it has taken a 

 fancy. A curious instance of this was recorded many 

 years ago by The Yorkshire Gazette. A gander belong- 

 ing to a farmer developed a liking for an old gentleman. 

 The bird used to go every morning from the farmyard 

 to the house of the said elderly gentleman and awake 

 him by its cries. It would then accompany him the 

 whole day in his walks and strut behind him in the 

 most frequented streets, unmindful of the screams of 

 the urchins by whom the strange pair were often 

 followed. When the old gentleman sat down to rest 

 the gander used to squat at his feet. When they were 

 approaching a seat on which the old man was accus- 

 tomed to sit the gander used to run on ahead and 

 signify by cackhng and flapping of wings that the 

 resting-place was reached. When anyone annoyed 

 the old gentleman the gander would express its dis- 

 pleasure by its cries and sometimes by biting. When 

 its friend went into an inn to take a glass of ale, the 

 bird used to follow him inside if permitted ; if not 

 allowed to do so, it would wait outside for him. 



One should not of course accept as gospel truth every- 

 thing one reads in a newspaper. It is necessary to dis- 

 criminate. Thus, when a well-known weekly journal 



