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what he wanted with all his heart. There 

 would be a rush among the fowls, squawking 

 and quacking of hens and ducks, and one 

 wild clarion yell from the old graylag goose 

 as she found herself in chancery. Then the 

 boy would scoot and dodge away to the big 

 pond in the woods, with the old musket at 

 trail and the old gray goose gripped tight 

 under his elbow, konk-konking her resent- 

 ment, but sensible enough, as all geese are 

 when you take them right. 



Next scene in the little comedy, — a boy 

 hidden in the grass and bushes of a lonely 

 point, scanning the heavens as if at any mo- 

 ment they might open and let wonders fall ; 

 and in front of him an old gray goose, with 

 one foot anchored to a brick, swimming 

 about and tip-tilting her tail to the skies 

 as she splashed and probed the bottom for 

 roots, gabbling to herself like a whole flock 

 of geese in her wonder and delight at her 

 ige surroundings. And when at 

 last the wild geese came, and out 

 of the sky came tumbling down 

 j' the stirring clangor, how the 



life 



