Millheim Journal. [volume] (Millheim, Pa.) 1876-1984, 1886-11-25
Caeser'sV Virginia Turkey.

Shakewell kept nagging Caesar about
turkey until he determined 20 have one
before another sun set, at any cost
He sat down before the fire In the twi
light to study out some plan of action
on the important question.
1t came to him quite readily, it ap-
pears for all at once he found himself
carrying it out. He bad noticed a
loose board on Col. Fairgroye's back
fence the day before. The Fairgroves
were easy-going people, not much CIV
9 to hammer and nails, and they
W ould be sure to have n turkey in a
coop in the backyard getting ready for
the annual feast.
Sure enough, the board fell off at the
bidding of his brawny arm, and there
in pen in the corner was the bird OF
his hopes. The Stats of his coop drop
pei before the same potent force, as
though they had been mere ravelings.
1t was no trouble at all to tie his legs,
cover his body with an old bag and slip
quietly away with him. Once at home
Caesar Alexander put him in d barrel
and laid heavy sticks of wood on the
open top.
Then he called to his wife to come
and see him and to quit 'jorrin'' him
about their Thanksgiving dinner.
She appeared, looked at the bird with
eyes like saucers. and then grew very
grave.
'Whar did ye git him p she asked,
with something like awe in her voice.
Worked for Jim. o. course said her
gentle spouse, with sneer. 'Knowed
al the time dat I was to git 'im but
you had to hev yer fill o. jorrin' and
complainiu' at me for a wuthless mig
ger. Kuowed it was no use to tell ye.
Ye wouldn't b'lieve me till he come. "
Mrs. Shakewell looked at her hus-
band, a fresh we'll of admiration spring
ing up in her heart. He was super :
ior creature, to be sure she would
meyer doubt it again.
Before going to bed Caeser Alexan-
der went into his small yard. lifted
stick or two of wood from the turkeys
barrel and took long and fond look at
his prizs. Suddenly haLd was laid
on his shoulder, and he turned with
quaking knees, expecting to face the
village constable but dark as it was
he could see that the hand belonged to
a gentleman of his own color, though
one:with whom he was entirely unac-
ouainted-'a kind of old fashioned
lookup nigger, he said when telling
the story afterward. ReassuIed to find
that it wasn't the law he had to con.
front, he put considerable bravado in-
to his voice as he said {:
who are ye, anyhow and what
dye want in gemman's yard at
night ? It's forenenst the law ID creep
aroun' honest folks houses on the sly
that way
Caesar Caesar y said the other,
without appearing in the least intimi'
dated Il am one Of yer ancestors
from way back, and l can't come to
YER in daytime because I've been dead
a long time
Here Caesars teeth chartered and
his legs gave way under him.
Brace up y said the ancestor, slap
ping him on the shoulder. Brace up
Pm here for yer good, not for yer harm.
I want ye to kerry that turkey back
Ye've done some thing to disgrace the
name of Shakewell. and won't stand
it. The constable will be down onto
ye tomorrow mornin' fore 9 O'Clock II
We don't, an there'll be neighborhood
scandal about this bird that'll make the
whole race O. Shakewels shake in their
graves. Caesar for the sake of your
proud and honorable ancestors take
that bird back, and to morrow take yer
gun and 60 to the woods and git one o.
the turkeys Nv yer fathers-an' it's a
bird that no nigger ought to turn W
his nose at, either
Here the 'alncestor' shifted delight
edly at something invisible, something
in his memory APPARENTLY, and then
went on:
| it's bird dat no man owns it's
de true Vahginiah turkey. .'Tisn't a
feathered bird ; 'tisn't fowl at all.
1t wears fur and has fifty teeth, brist
ly tongue, a long prehenslble tail-you
see, Caesar, yer Ancestor had larnin'-
and plantigrade feet, Caesar, it has
plantigrade feet.'
Ugh = said Caesar, too dazed to ut
ter an ineligible word.
The 'aincestor' continued Its feel
has as many toes on each foot as a mar
and long shalp claws on every toe ex
cept it's inside one. 1t uses dat as {
thumb. 1t is marsupial turkey, Cae-
sar.' Here the ancestor smiled at th'
towering proportions of his own learn
ing, but presently talked on.
ALIVE it has an odor ye can't mis-
| 49, ~ooekoJ ha a1to hot NOR .