Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1857-02-18
our c,nvassed contemporary.

Our youthful contemporary of the Register prom.
ised us valentine in his last issue; but Us it has
not reached us this Tuesday, morning, but may on
the morrow, take leave meantime to ''woluntine"
him on the subject of-canvass back ducksl
Proceeding upon the assumption that canvass
back ducks fly and fall nowhere but in the State Of
Virginia. our neighbor was delighted when our friend
Womble received, from Norfolk, per Express, a
couple of barrels of what was supposed to be the
real bird. Very good they we affirm, for we
tasted them-just as good, no doubt, as if they had
been canvass backs; but the rumor now is. in tho
Petersburg and Richmond papers, that they were
only red heads, and not canvass backs. We give
this rumor for what it is worth and judge of its
effect upon the Editor of the Register by the pro-
found silence which he maintains with reference to
it in his last article on the duck question.
Now, if our contempany would have the real can
vass backs, he must look for them in the waters of
North-Carona, from Currituck Sound even unto
the shor es of Little River inlet In their season,
they darken all the air in that Sound and they are
taken, not by barrels, but by hossheads, doubt,
with plentiful supply of wild geese thrown in to
add variety to the plumage. They canvass backs
as are canvass backs!-no red lead about them-no,
Sir! Then again, when the wild geese are sought
staid and respectable geese of the wild species are
taken from the barn yard and thrown out into our
waters to act as decoy geese and this business
they perform with shrewdness and success
which would delight contemporary, could he
only witness it. They paddle about and call, until
they are joined by locks of the wild geese, when
the huntsmen, from behind their blinds, fire away,
killing scores-the decoy geese meanwhile, having
accomplished their purpose, making their way out
of the range of the shot, and thus taking care of
themselves with sagacity almost human. We
should like to know if Virginia contains, or ecer
contained such geese these! We presume not.
The truth is, the real canvass back duck and high
taxes are unknown in Virginia. The canvass backs
which our contemporary has been in the habit of
enjoying in Petersburg, doubt obtained from
Currtuck Sound, and carried thence by way of
Norfolk and as for high taxes, the complaints rails
ed by our contemporary against the bill of this
State, furnish conclusive proof that he was never
troubled in his former home with any thing of the
sort. And further evidence of this, we may
add that many of the inhabitants of Virginia, in the
Counties of that State bordering on ours have from
time to time moved into Rockingham, surry, and
Ashe, in this State; in order to enjoy the luxury of
being taxed-never having to the best of their re-
collection and belief been visited by the taxgathcrer
or been made acquainted practically with what it is
to labor under, and pay the interest on, weighty,
tenacious, soaking, and considerably increasing pub
| lie deot.
Notwithstanding all this, however, our contempo-
rary is good metal-not too hard nor too SOFT but
duc-te and brilliant. May the syme-try of his pro-
portions never be marred-may he enjoy every can
that comes until he discovers, as in this case,
that his impressions ideal, and not real and
then may he have the pluck and the acing to soar
and enjoy again, until he finds himself Diners times
| mistaken.
| RED HEADS NOT CANVASS BAcKs.-A friend of ours,
who knows what's what well as any man it is
fortune to be acquainted with, has just come from
Raleigh, and he expresses his very great surprise
that the accomplished Editor Of the Regiser should
! fall into the cgregious blunder of installing red
heads for canvass back ducks! He AYERS most pos.
itively that the two barrels of ducks the City
| of Oaks were no more canvass backs than geese
swans He is the more surprised at the mistake Of
our ciderant ne:ghbor Syme because he has had
| opportunities that should have enabled him to know
| better. He has been near the Chesapeake and I'M
der the especial privilege Of the veteran Commodore
Broughton, connoisseur in all salt water Injuries
and game of all kinds. Our informant expresses the
fear that his early education must have been sadly
neglected. Richmond Dispatch.
Nothing could have priscd us half much as
the foregoing announcement We are bcwildered.
Is it possible that Syme cannot distinguish between
| a canvass back and rcd head?
! just to think of it, We can imagine We see our
quondam neighbor seated, knife and fork in hanl,
before savory dish of red heads, imagining all the
while they of the genuine stripe, and expatiat-
ing on the delicious favor Of ducks in general, and
canvass backs in particular! 1t is not generous.
know, to joke Mr.. Syme on his msiortunes and
laugh at his caamities, but cannot deny ourselves
the privilege of applying to him. good humoredIy, a
sentiment in one of the Latin fables -" Terus tn es
SIM ius, ct S1M-ii ilH, qui SMILES ti1i."
| Petersburg Democrat.