New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1868-11-27
THANKSGIVING DAY.

UNENr IN PATERSON.
Turkey in Asia and Turkey in Europe may
be very wen in their way, but Turkey IN America Is
cmphacay the right bird right place. or rather
n may better be said OF him in these 0menary times Of
Thanksgiving that he is tho right bird in tight place.
Asit would be simply impossible to imagine Thanks
giving without turkey by logical sequence, 1t follows
that II America had not been discovered there would
have been Thanksgiving Day. seeing that the custom
Is one peculiar 10 the transatlantic and not likely
even to originated among the aboriginal redskins
The turkey is absolutely and essentially American
bird lie has good ground for action at law against the
parties who first him the ridiculous name by when
he is known by all who claim the English language for
ther 1t happened long long ago, that one OF the
original white explorers OF the forests Of the Susquehan-
IA trapped pair OF splendid fowls, the like OF which he
never had before His mates and he had been On
shcrt allowance for q week. and, the game being rele
them they made short work Of roasting II over "oo
ore revolving spit TO the handle OF when 'ney "eI
IN turn. Just about that time nicK-h@oAs u ~
sorts used TO DO imported into England Hoin iui
sev Out ~ tbis arose q peculiar expression
and II became oulte the fashion 10 say OF every tHk u'
Was nice or curious, costly, that IL was -
ms. ps onIe nowadays say that pretty girI IS plum
because NUNS are nice And so, says one OF our Dou
rlsh explorers 10 the rest OF the company as they
o,,a5 roupd the campfire and dissected with their
,ackkuves the succuent limbs OF the gigantic fowls,
Bess my eyes and limbs now, and thanks to Providence
FOR sending unto us such tnrhy' birds Here it will
with the first turkey for the adopted on the
spot by tie white captOrs Of these distinguished
cowls. who took many specimens Of them over when
,hey returned to England, where John Bull
adopted the strange fowl for his Christmas bird, and
.spelt II illteratey with superluOus g."
This Is the origin OF turkey and oil other stories
that arc told about the matter spurious. In part
q the world, upon this great continent and the
stands that unto it adjacent lie, is there such thing as
aboriginal turkey TO be Europe has bustards,
which faint resemblance to the turkey Of our
elections but they more turkeys than IS the tur
teybuzzard-a dirty little vulture idioucany called
Australia they have "brush turkeys" is true but
these simply bustards; and 1t does not follow that
bustard rhymes with mustard and eustard that
it must be turkey, which latter bird has, truly both
thyme and In association with these good things
The French have better name than turkey for our
Siderable bird. They call him "Coo dIde," which may
may be translated by "Indan rooster" That is TO
e purpose than turkey for may be assumed without
extravaganza that tooth Of red Indian had become
qlaned with drumstc OF turkey ages before the white
had licked his whiskered chops oyerit In the
modern Latin Of tho naturalists bird is called
1ieltaQis Gdll0pari which has very meihuOus roll
sud fills the mouth like slice from the breast OF
tyelve-pounder, supplemented with end OF Stufhng
and cranberry sauce The name far too long though
snd quite unsuted the action and rapid mode
OF thought peculiar to the American people. Turkey
e be turkey, then for u.s. and bumper to the memory
the noble trapper who first sped him. aud then i'm
acrtalized him with the name!
Audubon somebody else, suggested that the turkey
not the eagle should adopted for the national device
eraps the IroPonnder Of the proposition S was right
white Ocks that the blue pastures OF the
iusoruabe vault dipping his WINS IN the rainbow and
knocking the spots Off the sun with his insolent glare
While thus engaged he Is fowl not TO be scorniuLy
Sslted at but, when he touches earth what can be
he ungainy than his walk, what more ridiculous
than his rum what disgusting than the manner IN
wheh no imbrues in gore snd entra the hPrney crooks
OF his beak and clsws Frequently he has been sn9Sn
take up little boys IN his talons and having shot ao1t
tom the dry hight on to the rocks below doubtless
with view OF Kidding himself OF their dry goods which
gg gsS s he process Of desutton Far &
I en in disposition from tins rapaeiouS pirate OF Iae
never wading lse that 6adheadea OLD g1!9p tne
gobbleT been known TO goble up little boys quite the
reverse indeed for special occasons-ssy yesterday
e most tender ttSts Of himself and his family Observe
thefee and independent Wild so6Ser OF the dell as he
woods and spreads hs tall into fan for the amusement
vocifsrous but significant call See with what imperial
sfrIde Tho treads the reenswsrd-tne great American
bird strding stride sgch yet has been stiuueh
by the great American trsgcdan View him-it be gives
Sou ces9se w and u om his on on the top
most layer Of some centenarian heml0ektTee; Ihe
eagle dWindies 10 sprrro hawk: the cthosaurus con
tr9sed with the newt that the tTuant schoOPSy nshes
man. right, them when he proposed that our country
should discard the eagle and ad8Ps tne dSTscy
Long indeed, have the American people scknowledged
mai snatomy the supremacy Of the great fowl whose
superior qualities the present writer Psys THIS feeble
treads noelesy with nocassined feet the tnn STOW OF
November search Of deer starts nervouy IN lis ban
etcCat when he comes the weEknown trail OF the
wld turkeys Leaving the antlered venison 70 browse
rst qsofgess along the fnTro% left in the snow by the
froop Of rsdgied gobers, ana hens and poults that
has lust crossed his track He must be spry hunter
and wary, else never a part OF any one OF that
But IL he knows wOOdcraft. his patience VIII at
last be rewarded perhaps by glimpse between gray
yuiOus he had better send bullet ION sight, else the
warning cuek Of the patriarch will send the ostrichlke
family soudding through the forest with speed com
nared which the Of deer Greyhound datOry
Indeed Proud at heart is that stark hunter when be has
secured his He plueks tho longest and broadest
feathers tail and inserts them in Lis cap Sling
ing the mighty fowl from his shoulder WIN Slips Oh
moose wood bark lie trudges bOmeward through the
SHOWS and should there be village or settlement any
where In that district Of the country, he will sometimes
go as much as three miles out OF ms way 70 pass
with CHEEKY hail, poured from their timber thrOas IN
series Of gobble wobbles intended 70 ltae the cry OF
the fallen but distinguished fowl.
so much for the aboriginal turkey the stock from which
in direct descent variety OF the domest
Gated that is known breeder and pouerer and all
who treDcher valorOus fighting hunger noby with
kniie and fork Thanksgiving any other day. And
It to domestic bOnefed turkey that the popular
mind really eleayes rather than 10 the comparatively
scarce Of the forests and swamps. Yesterday,
throughout this great city, turkey the leading idea
The city governed by turkey In fact aud the Board
man Porte early part Of the day. and when the
rain roof" tho stalls and grocery tables yet
showed great display OF the bird Of the occasion; Tor
In hopes that turkeys would come down In price, with
the rain. And so, out in the soaking sush tramped
tie Sounds Of hgge and hagge as they baganed under
the sidewalk awnings with the harahearted provision
t0rtOp dollars and dimes Turkeys OF all sorts ana
Sizes plucked, all except their alls hung from awning
hooks and lay in rows upon benches and barrels and
blanks Passers 10 fro sometimes paused TO look at
them partly from enthusiasm on tHe sug0s 1I ~