CHAPTER IV

New Zealand Illustrated Magazine, Volume 1, Issue 6, 1 March 1900, Page 32

CHAPTER IV

Sunday morning. A loud and prolonged snore ; an abrupt ending to the snore, and a disagreeable grunt. The purple of Saturday night had changed to the grey of Sunday morning. Mr. Bargle was awake. His goddess had seized him by the shoulder and shaken him into as much consciousness as he was capable of. " Whazzer time ? " "Nine." " Where's them geese ? " " Geese ! Dan Bargle ! Geese ! Look outer the winder, man ! Geese ! What geese ? You've only bought one goose, Daniel, one ! See them two palings ripped off at the back end of the yard, an' the 'ole stopped up \vi' a sack ? Well, you've bought one miserable sample of its kind six times, Dan, and you too boozed to see yerself bein' had over yer own bar-counter six separate times, and all by a blatherin' son of an Irish laughin'-jackass, that you fancied you was walkin' round all the mornin' ! Ugh ! you fat, old, dunderheaded fool, look out of the winder ! Serves yer right for not takin' a light with you when you went to shove 'em in ! " Dan obeyed, and turned a shade greyer. There it was sure enough ! A solitary goose with a mingled expression of surprise and discontent standing disconsolately in the far corner of the rambling poultry yard. Dan Bargle said nothing He covered himself up with the bedclothes, and as his beloved one went down the stairs, she heard one heartrending, soulful sob emerge from the bosom of Daniel Bargle, licensee of the Criterion Hotel, at Maiwhare, Hawke's Bay.