The Baltimore County union. [volume] (Towsontown, Md.) 1865-1909, 1889-11-23
THE WHITE GOBBLER.
The Part it Played in a Romance and
Dinner.


zen of Northern Alabama. He was something
of character, proud of his lineage though he
could not trace it further back than few hun
dred yards. His forefathers, he avOwed. were
cavaliers, and he often spoke of the great civil
war in England. Indeed, one not acquainted
with the history of that conflict and its "long
agonies,' would suppose that the Major had
heard the belching of divers cannons. He
cared nothing for recent political factions, re-
garding with contempt the Republicans and
Democrats, but looked with extreme hatred
upon the Roundheads. To him our civil war
was conflict between the Tory gentlemen and
the Barebones. Sometimes, upon taking up
daily paper (Which he knew was much inferior
to the old-time newsletter sent out from Wits
coffee-house), he would say to his wife that he
wanted to see if they were still burning witches
in New England.
Zilda Carter, the Majors daughter, was de-
clared the handsomest girl in the Limestone
neighborhood She had been literally edu-
Gated and of course could not share her fathers
absurd views. She did not, however, attempt
to argue with him, for she knew that the only
unpleasantness that had ever come up between
her parents was caused by sighting remark
which her mother had made with regard to
Charles the First.
Just about year ago Zilda was permitted to
visit a friend who lived in New York, and, be-
fore returning home, she went down into Con-
necticut. While in that State she and her
friend (ayoung lady well known to the family
ate Thanksgiving dinner at farmhouse.
When Zilda told her father that she had
gone into New England, he frowned; but
when. suddenly moved by bold impulse, she
told him that she had eaten Thanksgiving
dinner at a Connecticut farmhouse, the old
fellow raved.
'You are not a true daughter!' he declared.
"You know that our family has ever turned
cold counteance upon every patriarchal insti-
tuition. The cold-blOoded fanatic tried to de-
,Ar nd n
the high-ninded class that holds Christmas in
endearment, make confession, as it were, of
flagitiouS error by giving countenance to a
Thanksgiving Day. l am ashamed of you,
and never again can L repose full confidence
"Why, Major!" said Mrs. Carter. weak but
sometimes assertive little woman, "the Presi-
dent of our common country sets aside the day,
and instead of frowning upon an observance OF
it think that it is our duty not only to the
Lord but as good citizens to the President to"
ITO do what?' the Major struck in.
"To observe the day."
you think sop said the Major, placing
both hands on a table as though he had his
wrath down and was determined to hold it,
'you think we ought to burn old women, don't
mo, 1 don't think that
"Oh, yes, Sarah, come out now and acknowl-
edge that you do think it. Stand right up now
and declare your principles. Admit that you
would like to see old Sue Backney tied out
there to the horse block and burned up. If
yori want to take up contribution to raise
money enough to hire somebody to tie the old
woman, pll throw in. will not have it said
that have ever stood as an obstruction to any
enterprise gotten up by my wife. Zilda, get
the clothes-line ready: Yonder comes man
down the road. May be we can hire him. We
can assure him that the old woman is not very
strong, as she has suffered with rheumatism
for number of years. What, you don't want
to burn her? Then your first lesson hasn't
wholly converted you. Humph you'd better
take another"
The Major hastened out into the garden,
slamming the gate after him and Mrs. Carter,
turning to Zilda, remarked: "It is said that
every person is insane on some subjects. Your
father is surely insane on his hobby. Ordina-
rily he is, as you we'll know, the gentlest of
men; and not only that, he is. aside from his
hobby, a hberal-minded man."
81 don't know and moreover don't care any
thing about the cavaliers, Zilda answered.
81 am thorough American and like every
thing that is American. / have never enjoyed
myself more than did at that Thanksgiving
dinner, and next Thanksgiving Day, which
will be only two weeks from now, am going
to have Thanksgiving dinner here at home"
"You father will not hear to it, my child"
"But he must hear to it. If he is so avowed
try? Why did he run for the Legislature year
before last? He ought to know that his fool
ishness beat him at the polls; and by this time
1 should think that he ought to know that the
people are not in sympathy with his silly ro-
manticism. don't like to speak thus of my
ing Day is quite as popular here now as it is in
the East. Nearly all our neighbors observe
it."
"What has caused you to change so, lilly?
Was it your visit to the East? Hitherto you
have been different with regard to the day."
'tMy Eastern trip, of course, has had some
thing to do with it, but how much and in what
manner | shall not say. I've got my eye on
that big gobbler out there, and unless his death
warrant be signed by the master of this house
hold, shall resort to mob violence"
"Well, there is no use in speaking to your
father about it."
'Tm going to speak to him, any way"
HE will be angry"
81 can't help it; but can we not convince
him of his foolishness ?"
"No, 1 fear not"
'Is there not some way by which we may
prove to him that he is insane"
"No; he is stubborn"
"Well, but are we to be slaves to his stub
bornness? love my father, understand; but
he should not expect me to embrace so silly
prejudice. think that you have been alto
gether too weak. You ought to have cured
him of his foolishness long ago."
Zilda said nothing more with regard to the
subject. Two days before Thansgiving, while
SA6
room." as the negroes termed it, the Major en-
tered He had been hunting, and placing bis
gun in a corner, he took up one of Scott's
novels and was soon following the nodding
plumes of the "Black Knight" Zilda took
up the gun and went to the window. She was
acquainted with the use of firearms. She placed
the gun on the window-sill and sat looking out
into the yard.
Don't cock that gun" said the Major. at
might go off,"
Again he was following the nodding plumes
ofthe "Black Knight He had begun to smack
his lips, as though he were eating venison
pasty with Friar Tuck when Bang! went the
gun. Mrs. Carter sprang to her feet and ex-
claimed:
"Gracious alive, child, you have killed the
white gobblerp'
The Major threw down the book. II told
you not to cock that gun," said he. Now
look what you have done-killed the finest
turkey in the State. l could have gotten five
dollars for him any time"
''Major. you know that accidents have
habit of happening" Mrs. Carter answered.
"Well, we'll have to eat him."
The next day at dinner the Major said :
Thought you were going to eat that turkey?"
''We are" Zilda answered "but turkeys
are not good, you know, until they have been
dressed day or two"
"Well, then, when may we expect the
feast?"