200 FIVE ACKES TOO MUCH. 



dering what had become of her husband, concluded 

 that &quot; he was such an old goose he had got drowned 

 in the creek ;&quot; and, as it was plucking-time, and she 

 had nothing else to divert her mind, she determined 

 to pluck the only one of the flock remaining. Oh, 

 what dreadful torments did the poor gander endure, 

 and from the hands of her he loved! How he 

 shrieked ! how he struggled ! What agonizing efforts 

 he made to speak, but in vain ! The old woman, 

 only too well accustomed to her business, held him 

 fast, and tore out feather after feather ; and, although 

 she thought more blood than usual flowed from the 

 wounds, she did not worry herself about that. It was 

 now his turn to endure those tortures he had so often 

 inflicted tortures tenfold increased from the greater 

 tenderness of his flesh. When the task was finished, 

 he lay bleeding, and agonized, and scarce able to 

 move. He waddled slowly down to the pond, and 

 the cool water assuaged his wounds. But what was 

 his dread, and his wife s delight, when he saw his 

 feathers growing again with astounding rapidity! 

 In two weeks they were quite large, and in two more 

 he was in condition to pluck again. What a life was 

 before him, to be doomed every month to excrucia 

 ting sufferings, and that from one who was mourning 

 for her husband at every pang she gave him. 



