A CHRISTMAS WITH "OLD PORT." 359 



there was no penitent louder than old Gordonier, nor one 

 so ready to backslide when the revival was over. 



"One morning, when the early birds of Greenbush 

 had gathered about the two bar-rooms which guarded 

 the approach to the Albany ferry, for their morning bit- 

 ters, old Gordonier entered. Said he : 'D-d-d ye hear the 

 n-n-news?' 



" 'No/ said John Pulver; 'what is it?' 



" 'S-s-s-som'b'dy s-s-stole all Mrs. P-p-parsons'es 

 g-g-geese. It co-co-couldn't ha' been me, for I was in 

 S-s-s-schenectady.' 



"Then he crossed to the other bar-room, and the 

 crowd followed him, and he told the same story, winding 

 up with: 'It c-c-c-couldn't 'a' b-b-been me, for I was in 

 S-s-s-schenectady.' Afterward he went down to Ike 

 Fryer's bar, and the story was retold. John Pearl had 

 heard the yarn three times, and went off and told Pop 

 Huyler. Pop thought a minute and said: 'Let's go 

 'round to old Gordonier's house, and see if he's got the 

 geese.' So they went and knocked on the door, and 

 when the ole woman opened it Pop said: 'Good morn- 

 ing, Mrs. Gordonier; we just bought a couple o' geese of 

 the ole man, an' he sent us around here for 'em.' The 

 ole woman hesitated a moment and then said: 'All right; 

 just wait here a second, and I'll bring 'em to you; we 

 didn't raise but a few this year, an' I didn't think he'd sell 

 any.' She was very deaf, and didn't hear the men follow 

 her into the house, but just as she pulled a couple of 

 geese from under the bed John Pearl raised the curtain, 

 and he and Pop Huyler saw a great pile of geese, and 

 John remarked that she had a great many. 'Land 

 sakes,' said she, 'you don't call half a dozen many, do 

 ye? Why, they're jest thrown in there on top of a pile o' 

 'taters, an' that makes 'em loom up.' 



