Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1886-11-26

Before going to bed Caesar Alexander went
into his small yard. lifted stick or two of
wood from the turkeys barrel and took a
long and fond look at his prize Suddenly
hand 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 gentleman of
his own color, though one with whom he was
entirely unaCquaintcd-"u kind of Old fash
Toned loolin' Niger, he said when telling the
story afterward. Reassured to find that il
wasn't the law he had to confront, he put
considerable bravado into his voice as he said:
"Who are We. anyhow; and what dye want
in gemman's yard at night, It., forenenst
the law to creep arou' honest folks houses
on the sly that way
Caesar, Caesar said the other, without
appearing in the least mtimdatcd; Il am one
of yer ancestors, from way back, and 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 said the ancestor, slapping him
on the shoulder Brace up. I'm here for
Yer good. not for Yer harm | want We to
kerry that turkey back We've done some
thing to disgrace the name of Shakewell, and
| won't stand it. The constable will lie down
onto yc tomorrow mornln fore O'Clock if ye
don't, an therell be 81 neighhOrhood scandal
about this bird that'll MAKE the whole race o
S|hal.cwells shake in their graves. Cesar!
for the sake of your proud and honorable IN
cesturs take that bird back. and tomorrow
take yer gun and go to the woods and GIT one
O the turkeys Nv Yer fathers-un' its IA bird
that no Niger ought to turn up his nose at,
either"
Here the "nncestor" shifted delightedly at
something invisible, something in his MEM
Its bird dat no man owns; it's de true
Nahginiah turkey. Tisn't a teathered bird;
tisnt fowl at all 1t wears fur, an has
fifty teeth, Il bristly tongue, IA long prehensi-
Bile tail-you see, Caesar, yer Ancestor
had lalnin'-and plantigrade feet, Caesar, it
has plantigrade feet"
Ugh said Caesar, too dazed to utter an
ineligible word.
The "ancestor' continued: ITS feet has
as many toes on each foot as Il man. and
long, sharp claws on every toe 'cept its inside
one. II uses dat as a thumb 1t is a narsupial
turkey, Caesar Here the ancestor smiled at
the towering proportions of his own learning,
but presently talked on.
Alive it has an odor We can't mistake, an
roasted he smells better nor flower garden.
He's bird worth giNm' THANKS over Now,
tau lat ole. dfuoiIn, White fO...s turkey
back to his yowncr, and go out ter-lHo!rah and
glt dc pc sum. de 'rgmal turkey Oh old YAH
glui"h. ur turkey OF yer lajii,I, and, 10! the
an, v~;Dr vanished.
I,-i"Ir., at every pore t"'ar Alexander
shou... 4 t!e turkey az" started toward
Co. r"!rSroNvs just aH D." was about to
enter t." yard, through H., l.. caN III the
tD.V. previously made by ..'H- Z, he iplt
uHGtnr. uduu lad on his slIDs.. T. with CON
siderable emphasis. Fv"is .....t another
ara a.. nur terrible anc'r' 'l was about 10
La'r sie'. il "!'h him, IA, N'nN iu tie earth,
without daring To LOOK .u.L lhen The
hand -utn"y,. m'n more ril"..s SID gave him