The Shasta courier., 1862-03-15
SHASTA COURIER
Boned Turkey

George Coleman and myself were chums
and, as a patural consequence, roomed to-
gether. George possessed a fnc spirit for
fun, and when an opportunity offered where
by he could outwit the faculty or the over
watchful tutors, he was sure to. improve it.
= One cold and rainy evening towards the
latter part of December. George and myself
were snngly ensconccd in our little room on
the third floor Of the college building, Both
of Us had been for the last two hours deeply
engaged in study. Now, our studies being
fully learned, we threw aside our books and
sat gazing vacantly at the fire. Presently
George arose, and after pacing up and down
the roomNseveral times, exclaimed aloud
"Ihave it'll Now for some fua."
He thcreupon seated himself in front of
me, as though some matter of great impor-
lance was to be discussed
Lew said be, what do you say to
bAving sonre roost turkey pr
Ireplied that it would be very acceptable,
and wished to be informed how we were to
procure the article in question.
Why, easy enough" he replied. " ''All
you have to do is to follow my directions and
the turkey will be forthcoming"
lie then babe me remain until he returned.
Putting on his hat and coat he left the room.
He soon returned. however. and from beneath
his oyercoat produced .. fine plump turkey,
all dressed ready for cooking, procured by
some mysterious means. lie sat about the
task of being chief cook, tying thin wire to
the neck of the fowl, and then suspending it,
like Mohammed's s coffin. between heaven and
earth, foom the mantle shelf, thereby imitat-
ing the old custom of cooking.
All things had progressed very well, so far,
and the savory smell arising from the now
nearly cooked turkey, served to-increase oar
appetites, and our mouths watered at the
sight 1t was now done and ready to be
carved, when we were startled by a loud
knock at the door.
George hastily caught up our bird, and
raising the window, let it down gently by
the wire; then making the wire fast, he
softly closed the window, and resumed his
studies, while waited on the door, which 1
opened, and there before me stood one of the
tutors. He said he called to see if our room
needed any repairing: and, of course, we
invited him to enter, which he did.
He said that he always took deep inter
est in the personal welfare of the students,
and he thought perhaps our closet wanted
epairing-thereupon looking in it. He next
looked under the bed, to see if we needed
any carpet there; also in the bed, to sec if
more covering were essential to our comfort.
But on finding all right, he seated himself in
o chair and wanted to know if the culinary
department had been moved to the upper part
of the building, as he smelt the fumes of
cooking very plainly. We made what ex-
case we could, and after remaining, in ALL
about an hour and half, he took his leave.
George Immediately raised the window, and
hauled up the wire on which our evening
chagrin and assonishment when we beheld,
instead eff the turkey. only the bones fastened
to the wire, -anda paper accompanying them
on which was written,: That was mighty
good Send us another.'
The joke of it was, we had hung it against
the window of the. room below ours ; and the
inmates seeingit dangling down, appropri-
ated t'to.their own use. Long after that we
were known as the cooks.