The times. (Owosso, Mich.) 1882-1897, 1886-11-19

Before going to bed Cesar Alexander went
| into his small yard, lifted stick OF two OF
| wood from the turkeys barrel and took a
| long and fond look at his prize Suddenly n
hand was laid OH his shoulder, and he turned
with quaking knees, expecting to face tho
| 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 unacquanted-"a kind of old fash
Toned lookin' 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 a gemman's yard at night. It's foremost
the law to creep aroun' honest folks houses
on the sly that way"
"Cesar! Cesar!' said the other. without
appearing in the least inundated; IL am one
of yer ancestors, from way back, and can't
come to yer in daytime because I've been dead
long time"
Here Caesars teeth chartered and his legs
gave way under him.
"Brace up!' said the ancestor, sapping him
OH the shoulder. brace up. Pm here for
yer good not for yer harm. l want we 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 yc tomorrow moTnin fore o'clock if yc
don't, an there'll be neighborhool scandal
about this bird that'll make the whole race O.
Shakcwels shake in their graves. Cesar
for the sake OF your proud and honorable ain
cestors take that bird back, and tomorrow
take yer gun and 30 TO the woods and git one
o tho turkeys NV yer tatheIs-an' its n bird
that no niger ought 10 turn M his nose at,
either"
Here the "aincestor" shifted tlclighte,lly at
something invisible, something in his mem
DRY apparently, and then went on:
Its bird dat no man OWNS: it's dc true
Vahginiah turkey. 'Tisn't a feathcred bird;
'tisn't fowl at all 1t wears fur, am has
fifty teeth, q bristly tongue, u long prehcns-
BILE tail--you see, Cesar, yer Ancestor
had larnn'-and plantigrade feet, Cesar, il
has plantigradc feet"
"Ughl' said Cesar, too dazed to utter an
ineligible word.
The "aincestor" continued: Its feet has
as many toes on each foot as n man. and
long, sharp claws on every toe 'ccpt its inside
one. IL uses dat as Il thumb. 1t is n naIsupia
turkey, Cesar Here the ancestor smiled at
the towering proportions of his own learning,
but presently talked on
"Alive it has an oior We can't mistake arr
roasted hc smells better nor flower garden.
He's bird worth givin' thanks over. Now,
take dat ole. droopin', white folks turkey
back to his yowner, and so ont ter-morrah ami
git dc 'rossum de rigina turkey oh old YAH
giniah, de turkey OF yer fathers and, 10! the
ancestor vanished.
PclSpring ut every pore Caesar Alexander
shouldered the turkey and started toward
Col. Fairgrove's. just as he was about TO
enter the yard, through the break in tho
fence previously made by himself, he felt
another hand laid ON his shoulder with con-
siderable emphasis. Fearing that another
and still more terrible ancestor was about TO
have speech with him, he sank to the earth,
without daring TO look around. Then the
hand grabbed him more firmly and gave him
a vigorous shake. He looked up appealingly
and confronted the constable. With groar
he tainted dead away.
"What ye groanin' ami carrying on like ar
animal fur" was the next thing he heard.
The question was propounded in his wife's
most ungentlc voice.
He opened his eyes slowly and in abject
fear, and found himself sitting by his own
fireside, the children in bed and Mrs Shake
well standing 10y him with her hand on his
shoulder. He never was SO happy in his life.
Col. Fairgroves turkey was safe where it be-
longed; he had never stolen it, and he hadn't
met any dead and gone ancestor at ALL only
in dreams. Furthermore, he inwardly re-
solved that Inc never would, il ancestors visits
only followed thcfts.
The next day when he set off with his gun
he told Mrs Shakewell that he would bring
home "Vahginiah" turkey. And he did
He held it up with pride and Joy OH his re-
turn, and was rewarded by smile from that
exacting lady.
iue pOSSuin was edUeu WIFI gravy anu
grace, and Mr. Shakewel's standing in the
community remained unimpaired. AS he
bent over his own fragrant Thanksgiving
board he had more than usual cause for graft.
tude "Vabginiah turkeys was good enough
fer my fathers, and good 'nough fer me, he
often says; but though he sometimes tells OF
the encounter with his ancestor, he never
tells OF the cause Of that worthy Individually
visit TO him MAX Il, TON.