FINE FAT GEESE 103 



showed our appreciation by dangling some of 

 the birds at him as we walked abreast of him 

 on his way back. We got him so mad, he 

 left his steer and took a different route, so as 

 to escape our serenading. The geese were 

 beauties, and so heavy and fat, we were forced 

 to make a second trip to get them to the 

 house. You can readily understand that 

 geese fed for weeks and months on the fallen 

 wheat they find among the stubble could not 

 be otherwise than fat, and to be at all present- 

 able and attractive for market, must be picked 

 when warm. After they are cold, every 

 feather drawn takes the fat with it, and they 

 present the appearance of having had small- 

 pox. To have these keep till the end of my 

 outing, they were picked and drawn, then 

 filled with charcoal and pepper. With this 

 precaution I have kept game sweet for a 

 month. 



To show how bitter our bachelor neighbour 

 was, the next morning I shot a chicken on 

 the wing, that fell just inside his fence, and 

 he forbade me going after it, nor would he 

 allow the dog, but picked it up himself, and 

 took it to his house. I spoke of his using a 



