Western Kansas world. [volume] (WaKeeney, Kan.) 1885-current, 1895-12-28

- A5pa n n PlNE IL +, ,io'c,;a Moun-
lived an enormous wild turkey known
as the Gold Gobbler. A poet who had
seen him, who, indeed, had taken shot
at him, said that the magnificent bird
had bathed himself in the sunrise and
had afterward set the color by dip in
the end of a rainbow. Many sports
man came from the city to spill the
turkeys blood, but failed. A Pine
Mountain wiseacre said that the Gold
Gobbler bore a charmed life; and
among the educated people of the neigh
borhood this saying arose: "As elusive
as the Gold Gobbler." Year after year,
as Christmas time drew near, Gold Cob
bier hunting parties were formed and
shotguns beloved on the rugged peak
and echoed in the deep ravine, but when
spring came again the king of turkeys
was heard gobbling among the velvet
tipped shrubs on the hillside. The Bob
Toombs gun club offered 500 reward
for the turkey if captured alive, and
many trap was set for him, and one
fine morning in a steel trap was found
one of his bronze feathers, but that was
the nearest they came to his capture.
In this neighborhood lived old Dave
Nance. philosopher and negro. The ten
derness of his heart was almost by
word; indeed, it was sometimes spoken
of in reproachful way. A thrifty
neighbor declared that Dawes heart
would land him in the poorhouse. If
this old fellow CHANGED to meet hun
CRY animal he would feed him, no mat
ter whose property he might be. Once
he fed and pursed an enemy's dog, and
.afterward when some one laughed
about it, old Dave said: ''Wall, de po'
dog didn' know whuther de man wuz
my enemy ur not, an eff hadn' er give
him suthin' ter eat, de sorrowful look
in critter neber could understood de
reason why, an in his heart he would
er hill it up er gin me; an lemme tell
you folks suthin': De Lawd at de las
gre't day ain gwine slzuze er pusson fur
not bein' kind simply becaze er enemy
stood in de way"
Yes, Dave" a white man smilingly
replied. "but man must be just to
himself"
Oats er fack, sab; an lessen 1 feeds
de haungry L KANT be just ter mer-
self"
every Christmas all the hungry dogs in
the neighborhood come to your house
10 get something to eat.'
Oats all what de calls er fancy, sah
But da does drap in some times when
da's er haungry an who kin blame
'em."
by the way, Dave, are you going to
hunt the Gold Gobler this coming
Christmas?"
I'm gwine git him f kin. But he's
er mighty raskil. I TUX it inter my
head dat eff I'd make er trap outen corn
stalks he wouldn't be skeered O. it, an
l done SO, an he got in dar, but bless
you he flew er way wild one O. de stalks
in his mouf. I'd like nightly ter git
dat hunnurd dollars, but reckon I'll
neber lay hans on dat much money.
It's er mighty strange thing dat no.
body kin hit dat bird. Dis is de fif sea-
son dat he has 'sturbed dis yer neigh
borhood. l yere 'em say now dat de
gun club gwine pay de money eben eff
you fotches him dead, case da knows
dat nobody kin take him alive. But
I've got er scheme put up on him.. rs
got er new pair er speclxtickles dat kin
see through mo- den er mile an rs got
me er army gun dat will tote true
jest ez fur ez er pusson kin see, an I'm
gwine load it wild one deze yere minnie |
balls. ain gwine take no mo- chances
wild shot. Oh, Use got at de reason de
rasl1if hain't been hit-he's so bright
dat you think you'se right on him when
de fas is you'se er way off. An den
when you shoot you amt got him. OATS
all dar is ter it. But gwine bore him
through an through, 1 tell you.''
Every night as the holidays drew
near, Dave would take down his gun and
wipe II out, and caressingly he would
fondle the minnie ball, which he had
rubbed until it was bright. "Yas,
honey" he would say, you gyvine
through dat ole rasl1il; yes you is an
you neenter say you amt" And the
children would gather about him and
beg him to let them take the bullet in
their hands. ''Turn it loose; take kere,
chile. Doan you know you gwine rub
all de charm off eff you keep on? Take
kere: doan tech it,
One cold afternoon as Dave was re-
turning from the forest where he had
been chopping wood, he came to creek, |
and in the water, swiftly borne round
and round, he saw a pig. Thinking not
of the cold water he plunged in and
rescued the animal. strove to warm