The south-western. [volume] (Shreveport, La.) 1852-1870, 1861-11-20
The Turkey Dance.

There are tricks in every trade and some Of them
display remarkable ingenuity and rare cunning The
following trick played in booth at a country fair in
New England, made up in ingenuity what it lacked in
honesty and humanity. 1t exhibited new phase in
accomplishment of learning to dance:
'Walk, in gentlemen, walk nl Come in and see the
turkey dance. Its cu'rous-rca curious, You wont
wish you hadn't you du see it once, but will wish you
had, thousand times if you don't see i'll"
Turkeys dancing. Fact and no mistaken
Come in and see, if you don't believe it. Iftain so,
yQu.can have back your two shillin' Perhaps them
other gentlemen that's with you would like to come in
tew. It's only tew shillin any heow!'
was one of them "other gentlemen referred to and
dqbursed the two shillin referred to- and entered
as cd many Others who similarly attracted, foowedus
into the show.
ere long coop Of turkeys. Wall shall feed ern us
andpretty aTter when they begin feel their
oats (but that's joke cause we feed 'em corn you'l
see EN- the music strikes up begin dance
The coop which ran along the end of the booth far
he.t from the door, about fifteen feet long, and
must have contained twenty or thirty turkeys
heavy fellows they were, too, most Of hem-perfect
treasures for Christmas or New Years table Into
this, coop our exhibitor threw perhaps peck-or at
least half peck-of corn. ht
This was soon gathered up, not without much sqHab-
bling and fighting on the part Of the feathered recp
ents; who wanted to fair pay-that kind of fair
play meaning which would give to the complainant the
largest half of the ''proyant"
Presently it was all devoured, and the audience
called for the performance" as promised
Yes yes, said the exhibitor don't be in tew bigA
stew Give us time, ifyeou please. Strikeup music
give en- a lively taunel"
AT this cracked flute and an old black greasy fiddle
started off ut very quick time; and enough everr
turkey in the coop began to dance, hopping from
leg to the other crossing over balancing, Chasseeing
doing everything in short known to the saatory art
EXCEPT Joining hands" and turning partners"
Wei, that curious" exclaimed HE auditors, ,simui
t'r1cusrs}r "Nev any thing like It before.
No, says the exhibitor except You didn't. Itsail
in edacaton the poet says dedicated them turkeys
aud there amt of em that hasn't good ear for
music"
"Hreupon he turned to the audience and added.
WAL you've seen it, and seen how nat'ra they deu
it; noY We want you tcw vacate the room and give
themh chance that's on the outside. There's new Gus
toners out there a-waitin, and if ycou only tell 'en
OUTSIDE what yeOuy We seen with Yeour own ewes vouE
be do!n service 10 me and give tew them an equal
pleasure with what YOU have enioyed.' ~
IiH done, the audience retired and another took
their Ilace-includng, however one who had been am
auditor at the last exhibition. The same scene was gone
through with; observed that the motion Of the
turkeys was even more lively than before.
ltsruck the twice-observer that just before the music
began man was to leave the booth on both occa-
sions and unnotced, he stepped out himself the last
time, and saw the man busying himself with putting
some light hindIing wood under opening beneath the
coop.
Inc mystery was out Ihc turkCy-caEe rested over
slow FIRE, with tin floor and when the music struck UP
the fire had become hot that the turkeys hoped
aboutHTst on one leg, then the other-and changed
positions seeking rest and finding none" till the fire
had gene down. and they ready for another feed
-+ee--
SPEcULAToEs.-Iti is proven to every intelligent man
that this city is infested with yankee spectators whose
bodesare here and whose souls are nj LiHc61ndom
For months past every article used for home CON
SUMPTION has been growing dearer and dearer each week
Pork coffee tea, cocoa butter army and navy cloths
in fine. articles which people musthavc, and for which
therefore demand exists, have been gradually raised
ruinOus prices What will become of the people unless
they do something put stop to speculation no human
sagAcity can tell
The Confederate government has suffered immensely,
and suffers every day, from spectators. The hugcst
swindn5 has been and is practiced by army con-
tractors Men whom it gross outrage to call
souhcners making fortunes from the treasure Of
our young republic, and specuating on the blood
and health Of gallant soldiers who need comforta-
Je clothing to protect them against the cold winters
of Virginia, Kentucky and Missouri. We venture the
assertion that the money thus pocketed by shameless
Spectators in the sale of unseaworthv steamers bad
medicines poor uniforms, and stale provisions since the
the war woud be sufficient to furnish
winter clothing for the armyot the Potomac. Its even
openly said BY some of the Specializing gentry thai il
ortuneB cannot be made another chance will noJ
soon occur, and that thousands engaged In sprc-
ations they why they too should fail to
embrace good opportunities The argument is that if
he city be full Of burglars who do thriving business
he crime being winkcd at by the police every man is
justified in turniag burglar to better his fortunes Ia
)oleon made short work Of army spectators He Shot
them. n. O. Merchants and Manufacturers Jour.