196 FIVE ACKES TOO MUCH. 



come from ladies beds and some from lawyers 

 desks, some from lovers hands and some from glut 

 tons teeth. There they were floating to and fro in 

 the air, and awaiting the orders of their parent, the 

 gander. 



The gander looked sternly at the trembling cul 

 prit, who clasped his hands and tried to think of a 

 prayer; but his prayers had been forgotten long ago. 

 Then it stretched out its neck till its head was close 

 to his, and it uttered a low hiss. That hiss had the 

 sound of a human voice. But what was the old 

 man s dread and fright when the goose drew back 

 and commenced to speak as follows : 



&quot; For this many and many a year,&quot; he said, and 

 his voice had plainly a foreign accent, &quot; I have lived 

 within your power. I have endured all the cruelties 

 your malice could inflict. What excuse have you to 

 offer?&quot; 



The old man s teeth chattered so that he could 

 scarcely reply, while a fresh-sharpened pen from a 

 merchant s hand started forward and enforced the 

 question with a deep thrust. 



&quot; Oh ! oh !&quot; screamed poor Marrott, his wits on the 

 stretch ; &quot; I only did it to get my living.&quot; 



&quot; What ! Hard-hearted man ! could you not have 

 stripped us after death, instead of torturing us while 



