Story of the Three Geese, And of the astonishing Colony of Wild Geese in Kentucky. UT before we proceed with our promised story of the wrens an the oriole, we are sure our little readers will forgive us if we first tell them a very funny story about "The Three Geese," on the "Famous Farm." We had liked to have forgotten this story, and should have been sorry had we done so, for the lesson it conveys is a very singular and pleasing one, from the life of the animal world, especially as respecting a creature, so universally laughed at, and disregarded, as the poor simple goose. We had from the first noticed in the great flock, that went trailing so solemnly round and round our house, every night, a very handsome female; indeed, by far the handsomest goose of them all. We had observed also, that while nearly all the other lady geese had regularly paired off, and were each accompanied by a separate lord, this handsome one was always attended by two gallants.. As geese are very faithful to each other when they are paired, we were not a little surprised at this, especially when we perceived that there were several females, who always kept together, who had no mates at all. In a short time the handsome lady went to setting; and as she was the first of the flock who did so, all the eggs which had yet been laid were placed under her. As the little barrel-nest, in which she sat brooding, lay in front of our window, we had constant opportunities of observing her. You may not be aware that, in all the wild, as well as tame, varieties of this bird, when the female commences brooding, the male takes up his station, as sentinel on guard, beside her nest, which he never leaves beyond a discreet distance, from whence the spot is in full view, that he may protect her in her interesting office, from all intrusive foxes, minks, dogs, cats, or what not, that may approach her. Swans will even attack men, under such circumstances, without hesitation; and so great is the courage and vigor of their assaults, that they have been known to. break a man's arm, short off, with a single blow of the butt or shoulder of their powerful wing. We would not, therefore, have been surprised to see one gander on duty, at his post of guardianship, but we must confess we were surprised to see two. The same two we had observed escorting | goslings. First the admiration and wonher about; each jealous of the other, but der of her two friends excited our mirth ; equally vigilant. The largest and strong- but afterwards, when the whole surprisest of the two held the place of honor, ing miracle, of the entire new battalion close by her side, while the other occu- of little furzy yellow balls went rolling pied a position some three feet off. He and staggering about the yard, the never attempted to come an inch nearer, amazement of the entire flock of grown but that the stronger one instantly as- geese was too absurdly ludicrous to be sailed him. And what seemed very cu- fitly described. rious, although this constant warfare was, and had been constantly, going on between these rivals, when any intruder approached the nest, they both charged at the same instant upon it, and together drove it off. It was very quaint to watch madame, during these scenes; with what a demure expression she seemed to regard the joint exertions of her rival friends, on her behalf. She looked on with such an innocent air of placid sweetness, that it was enough to make a frosty Zeno laugh. What could it mean? It was clear that she was not the wife of both for neither polygamy nor bigamy is practised among these tribes. And from their simple and undeviating faith, in regard to their connubial relation, mankind might take, in these corrupt days, from the "silly goose," a most important lesson. As soon as the announcement of the new arrival had spread, they marched up to the scene, is phalanx, with stately waddling gait, their necks all slim in stretching wonder, their reddish goggle eyes looking as if they would burst from their heads. They formed in a circle, at a respectful distance; for when one of the little strangers would stagger towards them, they would scatter and run with an expression of stolid wonder would have made you shake your to witness. We do wonder what they thought t little monsters were? The curiosity mained unabated several days. They would follow them about, in procession, wherever they went, and so eager did they become at last, to examine them more closely, that the two champions of "Lady-beauty" found great ado to keep them at a respectful distance, and preWhat then could it mean? Was this vent the young from being trampled to some unnatural deviation from a general death, with their great, splay, awkward truth, or law? We had ascertained, feet. The third or fourth day, the genbeyond any doubt, that this was impos- ral flock seemed to have settled in their sible. We will see if we cannot satis-minds what these little strangers were, factorily account for this interesting and they accordingly ceased to persecute phenomenon. them with their curiosity. In due time, madame, "the beauty," hatched out an amazing brood of little During all this time, it was interesting and even touching to observe the un Questions, Enigmas, Charades, Etc. 64. Who first introduced letters into Greece? A. E. D. 65. When were glass windows first used? A. E. D. 66. When was the first steam engine invented? A. E. D. 67. When was the Daguerreotype process invented? A. E. D. 68. When, where, and by whom was the circulation of the blood discovered? C. S. O. 69. Who is first mentioned as being put in C. S. O. prison, and fed on bread and water? 70. What two right-angled triangles have the sum of their sides equal to the area? W. F. O. 71. I am a word of three letters, signifying to spoil, or injure. Transposed, I am an animal. 77. My first is a pronoun. My second is not high. My third we must all do. My fourth is a pronoun of multitude. My whole is musical. Jerry. 78. What is that which looks exactly like yourself, and yet is not yourself? T. A. S. 79. What is the difference between a grandmother and her infant grandchild? S. D. 80. Add one to nine and make it twenty. S. T. D. 81. What is that which the dead and living do at the same time? S. T. D. 82. Why are feet like old tales? S. T. D. 83. In every hedge my second is, As well as every tree, And when poor school boys act amiss, My first likewise is always wicked, Yet ne'er committed sin, My total for my first is fitted, Composed of brass or tin. S. T. D. 84. Two wheels, one 5 feet, the other 4 feet, in circumference, are fastened at the ends of a pole 20 feet long, and set in motion. What will be the diameter of the circle described by the small wheel? L. E. P. 91. Why is an elephant like a lady's veil? C. W. 92. Why is an elephant like a chair? H. U. S. 93. Who gave their present names to the months, and when? H. U. S. 94. Who invented musical characters, and when? H. Ü. S. 95. How much silk is required to make a spherical balloon, 16 inches in diameter, without allowing for seams? W. C. H. 96. How much gas will be required to fill the above balloon? W. C. H. . 97. How much will the silk of the above balloon weigh, if, when filled with hydrogen gas, W. C. H. it just floats in the air? 98. The sun has set-the twilight hour, My second is most gladly found, Now of my whole, dear child, beware, 99. Why is woman fond of ribbons? S. D. Look out, boys! It is the first day of April, and there may be some hidden joke in these odd-looking figures, which you will not like. If ever a boy looked like an April-fool, it is that silly-looking fellow, riding on an eye-ball, as if, by that means, he could see where to steer, and never get out of the way. Ten to one, he gets a fall, as soon as the weary eye-lid closes. This other youth, down in the corner, seems to be in a sorry plight, crying out, and reaching up for help, with no one at hand to help him. It is my opi nion, that, if he does n 0 t jump up and self, he will find -has taken a drop him- deed. His next neigh- ready fellows, provided Fernando Wood was not mayor, who made a fool of himself, and of the people, who put him in office. But enough about fools. They are our masters. The wise are a poor minority, scarcely counting. We hope it won't be so always, and it surely will not, if all the Merry children, when they grow up to be men and women, practice the rules of temperance, charity and love, which we try to teach them. The worst kind of a fool is he who fools himself, by choosing wrong rather than right. |