GEESE. 
175 
larly passed the day in the ploughing field, walking 
sedately, not with the usual waddling pace of its 
fellow Geese, hut with a firm step, head elevated, 
and neck erect, a short way before him, in the line 
of the furrows, frequently turning round and fixing 
its eyes intently upon him. "When the length of 
one furrow was accomplished, and the plough turned, 
the Goose, without losing its step, adroitly wheeled 
about, and thus continued its attendance till the 
evening, and then followed its master home ; and if 
permitted, would mount upon his lap as he sat by 
the fire after dark, showing the strongest signs of 
affection, and nestling its head in his bosom, or 
preening the hair of his head with its beak, as it 
was wont to do its own feathers. Sometimes the 
farmer would go out shooting, and no sooner had he 
shouldered his gun, than his companion was at its 
post, following him as before, in spite of every 
obstacle, — “ getting over,” to use the mans own 
words, “ the fences, as well as I could myself.” All 
this, it should be observed, continued, not only 
without any encouragement on the part of the 
farmer, but even in spite of every discouragement 
on his part. How long it would have continued, 
or to what extent, we lament to add, he effectually 
precluded the world from knowing ; for, with an 
unpardonable inattention to so truly a wonderful 
case, in addition to an equally unpardonable super- 
stitious fear, he took it into his head, that this 
mysterious affection of the poor Goose foreboded 
some evil ; and in a moment of alarm, he killed the 
faithful bird. 
Thus much for the attachment of the Goose to 
