Staunton spectator. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 1849-1896, 1856-02-13
Dancing Turli.s-.A Barnum Dodge.

"Walk in, gentlemen, walk in! Come in,
and see the turkeys dancel It's eur'ous-reat
curious. Come in and see, if you don't believe it.
It's only few shIlin', any heow! and if faint SO
you can have your money backW This was a
speech which heard before the door Of sbauty
at a a"General Traning"-an October gathering
in one of the interior towns Of New York State, in
one of its midland counties. My curiosity being
excited, I disbursed the "two shillin'" referred
to, and entered, as did many others, who, similar
" attracted, followed us into the shanty. "Wal,
gentlemen" ;" said the exhibition, ,"expect we might
as we'll begin. You see that 'ere long coop OF
turkeys. Wal, / shall feed 'em fust, and pretty
soon arter. when they begin to feed their oats
(bnt that's joke, cause we give 'em corn )you'll
see 'em, as soon as the music strikes up, you'll
see lem begin to dance" Into the coop referred
to our exhibitor threw perhaps peck-or at least
half a peck-of corn. This was soon gathered up,
not without much squabbng and fighting on the
part of the feathersd recipients, who wanted to
see fair pIay-that kind of"fair play" meaning,
which would give TO the complainants the largest
half Of the ..pFosaut.'' Presently it was all de-
voured and the ssaudience" called for the "per-
formance, !" as promised. ''Yes," yes," said the
exhibitor, "don't be in tew big stew. Give US
time, if you please. Strike up music-give 'em
a lively teewn!" At this, a cracked flute, an old
black, greasy fiddle, manned" by big thick.
Tipped negro, and an scar piercing ffe," started
off with !" Yankee DOODLE" at very quick time
and sure enough, every turkey in the coop began
to dance. hopping from one leg to another, crossing
over, balancing. chasseeng doing every thing
in short, known to the saltatory art except "join-
ing hands" and "lurning partners" swell that
is curious I" exclaimed the auditors, simultaneous
Iy. 81 never saw any. thing like it before!'-
''No," said the exhibitor, "expect you didn't
'It's all in edcation.' as the poet says. Iedcated
them turkeys; and there amt one on 'em that has
not a good ear for music." Hereupon he turned
to the audience, and added "Wal, you've seen
il, and seen how natural they do it; now we want
YOU to vacate the room, and give them chance
THAT'S on the outside. There's new customers
out there a-waitin', and if you only tell 'em out
side what you've seen with your own eyes,you'll
be doin' service to me, and give to them equal
pleasure with what you have enjoyed" This
was soon done the audience retired, and another
took their place Including. however, one who
had been an auditor at the last exhibition. The
same scene was gone through with; the same
feeding. "nusic and dancing" only it was ohser
we'd that the motion of the turkeys was more live
" than before 1t struck the twice observer that
just before the music began man was seen to
leave the room on both occasions and, unnoticed,
he stepped out himself the last time, and saw the
man busying himself with putting some light
kindling- wood under an opening beneath the shaa
ty. The mystery was now out. The turkey
cage rested over a slow fire, with thin tin floor
and when the music struck up the fire had become
so hot that the turkeys hopped about-first on one
leg, then on the ether-and changed positions
"seeking rest and finding none." till the FIRE hat
gone down, ,and they were ready for another feed
It is proper to add that the author Of this inven
tion was Yankee Of the first water, one Of TIT
''tarnal critturs."