the diary of a goose girl-第9部分

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his　note。

There　is　another　beautiful　song　that　I　follow　whenever　I　hear　it；
straining　my　eyes　to　the　treetops；　yet　never　finding　a　bird　that　I
can　identify　as　the　singer。　　Can　it　be　the　…


〃Ousel…cock　so　black　of　hue；
With　orange…tawny　bill〃？


He　is　called　the　poet…laureate　of　the　primrose　time；　but　I　don't
know　whether　he　sings　in　midsummer；　and　I　have　not　seen　him
hereabouts。　　I　must　write　and　ask　my　dear　Man　of　the　North。　　The
Man　of　the　North；　I　sometimes　think；　had　a　Fairy　Grandmother　who
was　a　robin；　and　perhaps　she　made　a　nest　of　fresh　moss　and　put　him
in　the　green　wood　when　he　was　a　wee　bairnie；　so　that　he　waxed　wise
in　bird…lore　without　knowing　it。　　At　all　events；　describe　to　him
the　cock　of　a　head；　the　glance　of　an　eye；　the　tip…up　of　a　tail；　or
the　sheen　of　a　feather；　and　he　will　name　you　the　bird。　　Near…
sighted　he　is；　too；　the　Man　of　the　North；　but　that　is　only　for
people。

The　Square　Baby　and　I　have　a　new　game。

I　bought　a　doll's　table　and　china　tea…set　in　Buffington。　　We　put　it
under　an　apple…tree　in　the　side　garden；　where　the　scarlet　lightning
grows　so　tall　and　the　Madonna　lilies　stand　so　white　against　the
flaming　background。　　We　built　a　little　fence　around　it；　and　every
afternoon　at　tea…time　we　sprinkle　seeds　and　crumbs　in　the　dishes；
water　in　the　tiny　cups；　drop　a　cherry　in　each　of　the　fruit…plates；
and　have　a　the　chantant　for　the　birdies。　　We　sometimes　invite　an
〃invaleed〃　duckling；　or　one　of　the　baby　rabbits；　or　the　peacock；　in
which　case　the　cards　read：…


Thornycroft　Farm。
The　pleasure　of　your　company　is　requested
at　a
The　Chantant
Under　the　Apple　Tree。
Music　at　five。


It　is　a　charming　game；　as　I　say；　but　I'd　far　rather　play　it　with
the　Man　of　the　North；　he　is　so　much　younger　than　the　Square　Baby；
and　so　much　more　responsive；　too。

Thornycroft　Farm　is　a　sweet　place；　too；　of　odours　as　well　as
sounds。　　The　scent　of　the　hay　is　for　ever　in　the　nostrils；　the
hedges　are　thick　with　wild　honeysuckle；　so　deliciously　fragrant；
the　last　of　the　June　roses　are　lingering　to　do　their　share；　and
blackberry　blossoms　and　ripening　fruit　as　well。

I　have　never　known　a　place　in　which　it　is　so　easy　to　be　good。　　I
have　not　said　a　word；　nor　scarcely　harboured　a　thought；　that　was
not　lovely　and　virtuous　since　I　entered　these　gates；　and　yet　there
are　those　who　think　me　fantastic；　difficult；　hard　to　please；
unreasonable！

I　believe　the　saints　must　have　lived　in　the　country　mostly　（I　am
certain　they　never　tried　Hydropathic　hotels）；　and　why　anybody　with
a　black　heart　and　natural　love　of　wickedness　should　not　simply　buy
a　poultry　farm　and　become　an　angel；　I　cannot　understand。

Living　with　animals　is　really　a　very　improving　and　wholesome　kind
of　life；　to　the　person　who　will　allow　himself　to　be　influenced　by
their　sensible　and　high…minded　ideals。　　When　you　come　to　think
about　it；　man　is　really　the　only　animal　that　ever　makes　a　fool　of
himself；　the　others　are　highly　civilised；　and　never　make　mistakes。
I　am　going　to　mention　this　when　I　write　to　somebody；　sometime；　I
mean　if　I　ever　do。　　To　be　sure；　our　human　life　is　much　more
complicated　than　theirs；　and　I　believe　when　the　other　animals
notice　our　errors　of　judgment　they　make　allowances。　　The　bee　is　as
busy　as　a　bee；　and　the　beaver　works　like　a　beaver；　but　there　their
responsibility　ends。　　The　bee　doesn't　have　to　go　about　seeing　that
other　bees　are　not　crowded　into　unsanitary　tenements　or　victimised
by　the　sweating　system。　　When　the　beaver's　day　of　toil　is　over　he
doesn't　have　to　discuss　the　sphere；　the　rights；　or　the　voting
privileges　of　beaveresses；　all　he　has　to　do　is　to　work　like　a
beaver；　and　that　is　comparatively　simple。



CHAPTER　XIII



I　have　been　studying　The　Young　Poultry　Keeper's　Friend　of　late。　　If
there　is　anything　I　dislike　and　deplore；　it　is　the　possession　of
knowledge　which　I　cannot　put　to　practical　use。　　Having　discovered
an　interesting　disease　called　Scaly　Leg　in　the　July　number；　I　took
the　magazine　out　into　the　poultry…yard　and　identified　the　malady　on
three　hens　and　a　cock。　　Phoebe　joined　me　in　the　diagnosis　and　we
treated　the　victims　with　a　carbolic　lotion　and　scrubbed　them　with
vaseline。

As　Phoebe　and　I　grow　wise　in　medical　lore　the　case　of　Cannibal　Ann
assumes　a　different　aspect。　　As　the　bibulous　man　quaffs　more　and
more　flagons　of　beer　and　wine　when　his　daily　food　is　ham；　salt
fish；　and　cabbage；　so　does　the　hen　avenge　her　wrongs　of　diet　and
woes　of　environment。　　Cannibal　Ann；　herself；　has；　so　far　as　we
know；　been　raised　in　a　Christian　manner　and　enjoyed　all　the
advantages　of　modern　methods；　but　her　maternal　parent　may　have
lived　in　some　heathen　poultry…yard　which　was　asphalted　or　bricked
or　flagged；　so　that　she　was　debarred　from　scratching　in　Mother
Earth　and　was　forced　to　eat　her　own　shells　in　self…defence。

*　*　*

The　Square　Baby　is　not　particularly　attracted　by　the　poultry　as　a
whole；　save　when　it　is　boiled　with　bacon　or　roasted　with　bread…
sauce；　but　he　is　much　interested　in　the　〃invaleeds。〃　　Whenever
Phoebe　and　I　start　for　the　hospital　with　the　tobacco…pills；　the　tin
of　paraffin；　and　the　bottle　of　oil；　he　is　very　much　in　evidence。
Perhaps　he　has　a　natural　leaning　toward　the　medical　profession；　at
any　rate；　when　pain　and　anguish　wring　the　brow；　he　is　in　close
attendance　upon　the　ministering　angels。

Now　it　is　necessary　for　the　physician　to　have　practice　as　well　as
theory；　so　the　Square　Baby；　being　left　to　himself　this　afternoon；
proceeded　to　perfect　himself　in　some　of　the　healing　arts　used　by
country　practitioners。

When　discovered；　he　was　seated　in　front　of　the　wire…covered　〃run〃
attached　to　a　coop　occupied　by　the　youngest　goslings。　　A　couple　of
bottles　and　a　box　stood　by　his　side；　and　I　should　think　he　had
administered　a　cup　of　sweet　oil；　a　pint　of　paraffin；　and　a　quarter
of　a　pound　of　tobacco　during　his　clinic。　　He　had　used　the　remedies
impartially；　sometimes　giving　the　paraffin　internally　and　rubbing
the　patient's　head　with　tobacco　or　oil；　sometimes　the　reverse。

Several　goslings　leaned　languidly　against　the　netting；　or　supported
themselves　by　the　edge　of　the　water…dish；　while　others　staggered
and　reeled　about　with　eyes　half　closed。

It　was　Mrs。　Heaven　who　caught　her　son　red…handed；　so　to　speak。　　She
was　dressed　in　her　best；　and　just　driving　off　to　Woodmucket　to
spend　a　day　or　two　with　her　married　daughter；　and　soothe　her　nerves
with　the　uproar　incident　to　a　town　of　six　hundred　inhabitants。　　She
delayed　her　journey　a　half…hourlong　enough；　in　fact；　to　change
her　black　silk　waist　for　a　loose　sacque　which　would　give　her　arms
full　and　comfortable　play。　　The　joy　and　astonishment　that　greeted
the　Square　Baby　on　his　advent；　five　years　ago；　was　forgotten　for
the　first　time　in　his　brief　life；　and　he　was　treated　precisely　as
any　ordinary　wrongdoer　would　have　been　treated　under　the　same
circumstances；　summarily　and　smartly；　the　〃wepping；〃　as　Phoebe
would　say；　being　Mrs。　Heaven's　hand。

All　but　one　of　the　goslings　lived；　like　thousands　of　others　who
recover　in　spite　of　the　doctors；　but　the　Square　Baby's　interest　in
the　healing　art　is　now　perceptibly　lessened。



CHAPTER　XIV



July　18th。

The　day　was　Friday；　Phoebe's　day　to　go　to　Buffington　with　eggs　and
chickens　and　rabbits；　her　day　to　solicit　orders　for　ducklings　and
goslings。　　The　village　cart　was　ready　in　the　stable；　Mr。　and　Mrs。
Heaven　were　in　Woodmucket；　I　was　eating　my　breakfast　（which　I
remember　was　an　egg　and　a　rasher）　when　Phoebe　came　in；　a　figure　of
woe。

The　Square　Baby　was　ill；　very　ill；　and　would　not　permit　her　to
leave　him　and　go　to　market。　　Would　I　look　at　him？　　For　he　must　have
dowsed　'imself　as　well　as　the　goslings　yesterday；　anyways　he　was
strong　of　paraffin　and　tobacco；　though　he　'ad　'ad　a　good　barth。

I　prescribed　for　Albert　Edward；　who　was　as　uncomfortable　and
feverish　as　any　little　sinner　in　the　county　of　Sussex；　and　I　then
promptly　proposed　going　to　Buffington　in　Phoebe's　place。

She　did　not　think　it　at　all　proper；　and　said　that；　notwithstanding
my　cotton　gown　and　sailor　hat；　I　looked　quite；　quite　the　lydy；　and
it　would　never　do。

〃I　cannot　get　any　new　orders；〃　said　I；　〃but　I　can　certainly　leave
the　rabbits　and　eggs　at　the　customary　places。　　I　know　Argent's
Dining　Parlours；　and　Songhurst's　Tea　Rooms；　and　the　Six　Bells　Inn；
as　well　as　you　do。〃

So；　donning　a　pair　of　Phoebe's　large　white　cotton　gloves　with　open…
work　wrists　（than　which　I　always　fancy　there　is　no　one　article　that
so　disguises　the　perfect　lydy）；　I　set　out　upon　my　travels；　upborne
by　a　lively　sense　of　amusement　that　was　at　least　equal　to　my
feeling　that　I　was　doing　Phoebe　Heaven　a　good　turn。

Prices　in　dressed　poultry　were　fluctuating；　but　I　had　a　copy　of　The
Trade　Review；　issued　that　very　day；　and　was　able　to　get　some　idea
of　values　and　the　state　of　the　market　as　I　jogged　along。　　The
general　movement；　I　learned；　was　moderate　and　of　a　〃selective〃
character。　　Choice　large　capons　and　ducks　were　in　steady　demand；
but　I　blushed　for　my　profession　when　I　read　that　roasting　chickens
were　running　coarse；　staggy；　and　of　irregular　value。　　Old　hens　were
held　firmly　at　sixpence；　and　it　is　my　experience　that　they　always
have　to　be；　at　whatever　price。　　Geese　were　plenty；　dull；　and　weak。
Old　cocks；why　don't　they　say　roosters？declined　to　threepence
ha'penny　on　Thursday　in　sympathy　with　fowls；and　who　shall　say
that　chivalry　is　dead？　　Turkeys　were　a　trifle　steadier；　and　there
was　a　speculative　movement　in　limed　eggs。　　All　this　was
illuminating；　and　I　only　wished　I　were　quite　certain　whether　the
sympathetic　old　roosters　were　threepence　ha'penny　apiece；　or　a
pound。

Everything　happened　as　it　should；　on　this　first　business　journey　of
my　life；　which　is　equivalent　to　saying　that　nothing　happened　at
all。　　Songhurst's　Tea　Rooms　took　five　dozen　eggs　and　told　me　to
bring　six　dozen　the　next　week。　　Argent's　Dining　Parlours　purchased
three　pairs　of　chickens　and　four　rabbits。　　The　Six　Bells　found　the
last　poultry　somewhat　tough　and　tasteless；　whereupon　I　said　that
our　orders　were　more　than　we　could　possibly　fill；　still　I　hoped　we
could　go　on　〃selling　them；〃　as　we　never　liked　to　part　with　old
customers；　no　matter　how　many　new　ones　there　were。　　Privately；　I
under