The Manitowoc tribune. [volume] (Manitowoc, Wis.) 1866-1878, 1877-11-29

ducks besides, and iellies and nuts
and apples in profusion. A big
| wood fire was cracking on the hearth
in the sitting room, giving the apartment
a delightful aspect of comfort. All
! things were in readiness to receive the
city visitors, which the 5-o'clock train
was to bring. 1t was not without tears
and an aching heart that Mrs. Maynard
clasped to her heart the dead sisters
child. Florence's mother, Mrs. May
nard's only sister, had been dead but
three months, and the wound Has fresh
and sore that had been caused by this
| loss; yet with Christian fortitude Mrs.
| Maynard bore her grief resignedly, and
resolved to make the anniversaries of
festivity as happy for her niece and
brother-in-law as possible. That even
ing each child was reminded not to for
get in the morrow's merrymakng to give
thanks to God for His many mercles,
and in tenderness and sympathy the
| little motherless child was taught how
! Gods chastisements are often for our
good.
! Thanksgiving morning broke clear and
| cold over the village of NJ The family
at Rose Farm were ready for church by
| 10 o'clock. when the four seated wagon
was driven to the door, and, wrapped
well in robes, all were taken two miles
to church. Daisy said red noses were
fashionable that day; and so it seemed.
An impressive sermon and generous
collection for the poor, and our party
were taken home. "What shall we do
/ before dinner, Helen ?" said Alex. "We
will Hslk down to poor lame Joe's and
carry the basket mamma has filled for
his dinner. I think our own dinner will
| taste better after that" And off they
started, each with something for lame
Joe.
"God bless the dear children /" the
| old man said, as they grouped around
his bedside in the little hut by the hill.
Helen unpacked the substantials and
mince pie. OldJoe's wife put on her hood
to go for Granny Thompson to come and
share that delicious dinner. After a
brisk run home the children sat down
with the family at Rose Fam to dinner
Alex said he wished to serve the gravy,
as it was a new kind called "gizzard
gravy" and only Helen knew how to
make it. This caused shout to begin
with, and, of course, Uncle Dick and
Cousin Florence had to be let into the
secret. All did ample justice to the good
dinner, and Daisy said she would have
to run around before she could eat plum
|
started for the skating pond, where they
whirled on its icy surface till dark. Then
began the games. "Blind mans buff, p"
thide and seek" all over the house,
when Uncle Dick hid Alex III a bolster
case, placed him on the bed, and stood
the pillows on him, and such a hunt as
there was for him When found he de-
| clared he was nearly smothered and
would never be bolster again.
Ten o'clock found the young folks at
I, Rose Farm tired out, and as the family
assembled for prayers all agreed it had
been delightful Thanksgiving.
Turk eys.
At this season of the year, great
many people, young and old, are think
ing of turkeys, or rather of turkey; for
it is not so much as a fowl, but as the
chief dish at dinner, that we think of our
gobbling friend. Perhaps, though, it is
but fair that the tables should be turned
now, and he who has through the sum-
mer frightened many a child by his COB
bling should himself be "gobbled" by
others.
think some of you will be surprised
to learn what superior bird the turkey
is in his wild state. Most of us are i'm
proved by becoming domestic, but it is
not SO with the turkey; he is neither as
fine looking, nor as wise, when domesti-
Gated. Benjamin Franklin held that a
wild turkey, instead of an eagle, ought
to be the emblem of the United
States; and, perhaps, if you could see
fine specimen of the turkey in her
native haunts you would not wonder at
his choice. Certainly, when Franklin
was alive, turkeys were far more plenti-
full all over the country than ever eagles
had been, yet think we all cling to the
soaring fight of that eagle. It seems
so much easier to rhyme about him, too.
How many poets, great and small, have
sung of the eagle But I think Robert
Southey alone has sung of the turkey
AS his lines will tell you of one of its
peculiar habits, they are worth your
reading:
| OF on magnolia, the loud turkeys voice
Is heralding the dawn; from tree to tree
Extends the wak'ning watch-notes far and wide,
Till the whole woodlands echo with the cry.
: When fully grown, the male turkey
l measures nearly four feet in length, and
more than five feet from wing to wing
Its head, which seems very small for so
large bird, and the upper part of its
neck, is covered with a naked. blueish
skin. On this skin are num-
Der of raised spots, red on
the upper portion and whitish be-
) low. On the under part of the neck
the skin hangs down, by its own weight,
In the shape of large wattles. Where
, the bill joins the forehead, a
wrinkled, fieshy protuberance rises with
a pencil of hairs at the top; this, when
the bird is at rest, does not exceed an
inch and half in length but if he be-
comes excited it lengthens out SO as to
cover the bill entirely and hang below
it several inches. The male turkeys
plumage CLEANS with the the brightest
golden bronze, tinged, according to the
position, with blue, violet and green.
beautifully broken by the deep black
bands which are near the end of each
feather
Turkey cocks are not at all gallant
about finding food for the hens. The
females are LETT to look out for themselves
and their little ones, while the males
lead a sort of club-ife; though the two
tiocks are never far apart They are not
very good fathers, as they are rather too
fond of knocking their young ones over
the head, and yet even wild turkeys will
sometimes take good care of brood of
little ones that are left orphans. The
wild turkey is found in Kentucky, uli-
nols, Indiana, Arkansas, Tennessee and
Alabama. 1t is less plentiful in Georgia
and the Carolinas, and is becoming quite
scarce IN Virginia. Large hocks go
from place to place about the beginning
of October, searching for the fruit of for
est trees; and if, as often happens. their
march Is stopped by a river, they ali
assemble on the highest part of the
bank, and often remain there whole
day or sometimes two as If for oo,,suI