Signal-Copiahan. (Hazlehurst, Copiah County, Miss.) 1885-1888, 1886-01-14
BUYING HIS TURKEY.
Luke Sharps Struggles Aftor q
Now Yoar's Fowl.

This was n couple Of years ago. We
had been in the habit Of buying our
New Years turkey in America, and in
comparison the prccsin West Eni Lon
don seemed simply cxtortionatc.
As Colonel Sellers says about hogs,
turkeys were jcwclry. A Londoncr
always carries home his turkey
because the fact Of his being able
20 buy one sort of establishes
his financial credit for the coming
year. 1t Is good rating by a com.
mcrial agency.
However we thought the regular
dealers were trying to impose on our
American greenncss, and so my wife
said: "You go TO Smithiield Market
and buy turkey"
MY dear" replied. "thc martyrs
used to 90 to Smithiicld, but this mar
tyr don't 20. Marketing comes within
the province of n 'woman's spear, as
Betsy Bobbct used to say"
Nevertheless | had TO go, although l
protested tha, did not know young
turkey from one Of the prehistoric
variety.
81 know" l cxpostulatcd, "that
after trying my best TO pick out a
young turkey will get one so tough
that none of the family can eat it,"
"Wcll, In that case try to get q
tough turkey AND you will bring home
nice one. lisa poor rule that won't
work both ways" ...-.. --..s
After six that evening went along
the crowded Strand, down Fleet street,
Ludga,c Hill, along Harrington street,
under the 0'burn Viaduct bridge. and
turning to the right speedily found the
great building called Smithlield Mar
kct. This market place looks some
what like the main building of an cx-
position. bu, on the last day Of the
year. large as IL was, IL was so crowded
that man had some difficulty In
squeezing through. The whole place
was blaze of light and Babel of
sound. The blessed company of mar
tyrs hung in tempting array at every
stall, prepared for the fire. and thou
sands of people were pressing forward
to get TO the steak. So far il was very
like any other large market, but the
Smi,hfcld butchers had way OF rush
ing sales that is peculiar to London.
AT each stall was man with great
envelope of an apron covering him all
but his head. He held in his hand q
long knife and steel for sharpening
It. Every now and then he would
clash these terrible weapons together
rapidly dozen times or so and shout
Mt the top Of his voice: "Buy! Buy!
Buy" lie never seemed to do any
thing but clash and shout. Busy as
sistants did the cutting. The roar Of
conversation, the shouts of the clash
ers, and the good-paturcd, pushing,
jostling crowd, all made up an expert
cnce that would be difficult to forget.
Not content with loudly inviting GUS
tom, some Of the vcnders got up on the
stands and auctioned Off the fowls.
snow, then. now, then, now. then, "
cried the one in front Of me, rs he took
his place on the counter above the
struggling mass. "Now, then, now,
then" He seized plump dressed
goose by the legs and swung 1t up be-
fore the crowd. "Now, then; now's
the time and 'ere's the spot. 'Ere's
the VERY spot. I know you've been
waiting for me and ere l am. 'Ere's
the spot where yc gets yer goose for
less than the cost Of pickin' on 'em.
Cos wy? Wy, our 'ouse is feather
'ouse. We don't 60 for to make profits
on the birds; our profits is in the feath-
ers. We've picked this ere goose and
well sell the feathers and give away
the birds. But know ye. You're in
dercndcnt--you are. You don't want
nothink fur nothink. You sez, sez you,
give us fair price, Podgcrs, and we
takes the goose. Now who scz ten
shillin' fur this prime young goose; not
better in hall Smithfeld, II do say 1t.
There's two men now tramplin' in
nercent children under foot to get here
and get this goose fur ten shillin'.
Cawn't sell 1t to both on ye; first mans
money takes it. Ten shillin' do hear.
Then nine and six. Mop Nine
shillin' and take 1t. Do I hear
eight and sixP Eight and six for
the finest. tendercst, jucicst, plumpest
goose in Smithfcld Market tonight.
Yes, I'll give 1t AWAY for eight shillin's.
Don't break down the stall rishin'.
Who'll ave 1t for three 'alf crowns.
seven shillin's and sixpenoe for this ere
goose. Makeft the even seven shlllin's
and take 1t with you. I'm glad this
ere goose ism alive to ear itself sold
for six and sixpence. Who takes II for
the even sixP Thank you, sir; took n
little vile to fetch you, but / knew
you'd como. Step around to our bank
ing 'ouse just In the rear and pay your
money to the cashier, and 'ere's wish.
in yer 'appy New Year. And psu up