Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1889-12-21
XMAS-DINNER FOWL.
THE TURKEY-GOBLER PAR EXCEL
LENCE AND KING OF THE FIELD.
Interesting History of this Noble but Mis-
named American Bird that Strutted
Here Before Railroad Days.

The cedar and holly decorations incidental
to Christmas festivities and the glowing
yule-log of the old homestead. that have
been so long identified with such enjoy
ments. are no more the legitimate accom-
pauiments Of that glorious season than that
royal bird the turkey. without which
Christmas would be shorn Of one Of its
most distinguishing features.
The introduction of "the shoat on such
festive occasions with an apple or lemon
impalcd between his rigid jaws, and with
his tail curled on his back. and placed
at the head Of the tsble--tempting as his
little royalty may appear-pales utterly as
a substitute for this noble bird.
MfsNoAER.
Distinctively of American origin. al
though at first, through mistaken identity,
its home was ascrbed to Turkey. from
which IL uniustly derived its name, this
fowl. so majestic in bearing. so naughty of
action and movement, 50 rich in color and
plumage, and so general in its diffusion
throughout the great American continent,
was cheated of its blrthrlght when
named, and when the nation of which
il is SO characteristic chose for its ma
tiOnal emblem the screaming and un-
canav eagle, which at best is but the bOr-
Q
countries. Tho turkey, like the brave
red man and everything else truly American,
Is nomadc in character. requiring the free
dom of large range or territOry-the pos
session of which is guarded with a watch
. ful eye against the intrusion OF all Others
/ of the feathered tribe. even the klngly
eagle being met with claw and with spur
blythe old gobler, the patriarch and leader
OF the flocks.
TEE NUMBER rwrNDLINC.
The turkey originally was raised in much
larger numbers than at present, and stalk
ed with lOrdly strut upon everv hill and
through every dale. but with the introduc--
tiOn of new breeds from abroad. novel and
uuheard-of diseases were transmitted,
which have made the breeding of them as
uncertain and hazardous as the rearing of
that kindred and more delicate bird Of
African origin, the Guinea fowl.
WHERE THEY RoiMED AND BOOSTED.
In the early DAYS Of this city-before the
| introduction OF rairOads--oDe or the most
! inspiring. and NJ the same time aDpeti2ing
/ sights TO be- witnessed Just before Christ
mas. was the appearance of immense fiocks
of turkeys. driven through the streets like
sheep to the shambles They usually
/ entered the city ria Brook avenue. and
were driven in hocks of five hundred or
more from the mountains. Generally at
n1gut thCF lOunn roO>tnE-pldce AT bou-
din's Tavern. from which also they were
sold. The "gobblc. gohble. gobble' Of
scores of gobblers as they focked in the trees
at night. and when they craned their nccks
and flew TO the ground on the crisp De-
! cembcr mornings, resOuuded throughout
that section. and was suggestive of the
forest. the hunt, and the chase, and OF the
primeyal days when our foreiathers got
their meat from the magnificent woods
that envlroned them on al sides.
II HARMONY WITH GOOD TASTE.
Surely nothing on snowy December
dav SD harmoni2es with the human appc-
tite as a well-prcpared turkey stuffed with
oysters or other concOmitauts andfcstoOned
with celery. II is a food prc-empted for
Christmas festivities; and its attempted
monopoly for "1hanksging day " by our
northern friends Is ont Of harmony with
the old and cherished customs of Virginia
~ we'll a. with the eternal fitness of things
aud the will of the noble bird itself.
Companion 20 the Wild and stOIcal red
meu, the butiGlo, and the deer, long may
this royal bird 1--we 10 strut and stalk the
fields and the forest, and at Christmas,
though sh0rn of It's royal robe Of plumagc,
of snout and lengthy beard. still reign as
/ Che king of the Christmas festive board.