TURN OUT THAT GOOSE.

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume XI, Issue 137, 1 June 1876, Page 4

TURN OUT THAT GOOSE.

(Saturday. Advertiser.) In!^th T e"early days of the Victorian g'old-fielde, when sticking-up was an every-day Ctocourrence^ and practical jokes .and;, shouting for nobblers was the principal amusement of the diggers, a ludicrous scene ' took place .which served! , to: raise many a hearty laugh for months afterwards; The?' Presbyterians of Pennyweight Flat; after 'a short canvass of miners,' succeeded in collecting a sum of money sufficient to erect -a very respectable building, to be used as a church and school-house. . It was a' boiling hot Sabbath °morhihg. The church was crowded with diggers to 'welcome and hear, the newly-arrived minister discourse on the interesting Bubject, " All is not gold that glitters." An earnest, eloc[uep^ ;apd effective prayer was offered up, .the hymn ; given' .out, and the precentor led off the singing in IU best style, when an unlooked-for and uninvited worshipper put in an appearahce,caußing no little amusement and a ( great deal of excitement among the congregation. The intruder was no more nor* less than a large white goose, w'tiicH.. ba'd been hovering about the chUrch x -door looking wistfully at the cool' interior, ho doubt longiog for a shady retreat. At leogtb, having made up his; mind that it was much copier inside than out, he waddled up the centre of the aisle, making straight for the precentor's chair. That gentleman wals 'practising some of his hi%h notes, Wjhen; o his eye caught sight of goosey. Aubrpad grin and hardly suppressed laugh (in which the diggers along the line of goosey's march joined) was followed, by a musical collapse. Several of ' f ttie i gravest of the congregation, noticing;ihe innocent cause of the mis- , hafif^cried; " Schee ! scbeel" goosey re'ptyingf to these polite attentions by wagging his head, from one nide to aho^er* r"The minister turning/round td an elder that sat/on a bench behind bim, whispered <iu bjs ear, "Turn out thai goose." Donald, a*brawny and powerful jHighlandmau j;whose; face'* depicted his surprise ;and wonder at such

proceedings,; not c knowing the real/ cause, 7 but/ supposing the '• minister jraeant the precentor, instantly seized him by the back of the neck and proceeded to bundle him out of the church. JThis rough '"treatment soon turned that gentleman's broad grin into a fierce frown, as he promptly grappled with biß adversary. The congregation was by thißjtirae;[in a great state of£ejpcit£-;: ment — friends were' trying to explain and separate the combatants. Ultimately the minister succeeded in pouring Oil upon the troubled waters, and, the^ diggers with 1 smiling faces, once more took their seats, the precentor retired to bis post, and Donald this time took the real goose by the neck. A flapping of wings/ and, a subdued quack, was the leßt of poor goosey .'as be swung by the neck to the branch of a wattle tree. The minister then gave an eloquent and scholarly exposition of f* AlViinbt^oid that glitters/ and the! service ended to the mutual satisfaction jand benefit of all concerned. It was {whispered afterwards tbat Donald and Ithe precentor fared sumptuously- (on goose) Ibe following day, and that they were the best . of friends ever afterjwards. : ',