The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1896-12-20

A Giant Connecticut bird for tho Canton
ChrlBtmnA Dinner.

Christmas Dinner.
HARTFORD, Dec. lS.-The greatest turkey
produced in the Nutmeg State this year I'M
doubtedly Is a gobbler bel Onging to Harlow
Gadd OF Forestville, who with painstaking care
Is fattening him for PresId emit elect Mckinley.
The bird weighs forty.eight pounds and Is
waxing heavier at the rate OF a pound "A day.
Mr.. Gadd means to send him to Canton. o.. as a
Christmas present to Major Mckinley.
The big gobbler belongs to the bronze species.
which originated in the eastern part of the
State. and Is the Goliath branch of
the American turkey tribe. Turkeys OF
this breed on their native heath Of
North Stonington and adjoining districts OF
Rhode Island often reach IL weight OF from
thirtv-hve to forty pounds each. but it is very
rare that ono weighs more than forty-tive
pounds. A bronze turkey robbler is a wonder
fully handsome bird with n gorgeously rich,
vivid %plumage, brown. bronze, and green. that
is less striking and beautiful only tn all that of
"a peacock. Harlow Gadd's gobbler towers like
an ostrich ard has "A lntty, measured stride.
Horace Nose, the poultry man Of Westerly, Il.
Thanksgiving turkey Annually To the President,
a practice he has followed for a quarter Of ~
ton this year at Christina. He Will send a
christmas turkey 70 Zach OF these gentlemen:
and William Jennings bryan. H. mas selected
his fowls. the finest turkeys raised In North
Stonington, and Is stunning them with the tat of
the land. Each fowl, IL Is reckoned, will
weigh a trihe over thirty pounds. The
brynn turkey is a iit'ls smsiler than
shonld be a novelty, not exactly a freak. in
feathers. but appropriately bizarre and unique,
lie travelled lar and looked long before finding u
fowlthRt fulfilled the re Iuiremenls OF his inten-
ton. The bird designed for MIR. BRYAN has two
predominant peculir rites. His gait IL u little
deN ialiug and crooked, and his head aud neck
are surmounted with u singular tuftof feathers,
suggesting IA tiuGy crown, or the uncombed
shOck VI hair of II Terra del Fuegan. Otherwise
the turkey Is normal. young, stately. plump,
and presumably tender.
The greatest rooster in Connecticut, perhaps
tho heaviest one ever raised IN the state, was u
Plymouth Rock fowl that belonged to y llllam
II. Cone Of East New London. He weighed
fifteen pounds. aud was still growing. Mr.. Cone
hnl taken great pains with him, treated him
tenderly. fed HIM on the choicest fat- prod ucing
ylands. and solicitOusiy studied him daily In
his ornate cottage hennery. Alas! 1t appears
say. is without question the meanent sneak
tliier alive, was also watching him, and
about tho time he Judged the Gone wonder
u be ripe to pick, this other chap casually
dropped In and took him. Mr.. Cone has no
idea where hs frathered prize IN now, for he
was not at home when the thief came in tho
night. In proof of the indubitab BILE fact, how
ever. that his meanness Is OF IA brand unpar-
alleled, Mr.. Cone cites the Circumstance that
bird, but lugRed him into his iCone'sl work
snop. took n hatchet on tho rack, and cut OH tho
ruoster'b head. leaving that member on tho
block rs evidence OF his devilishness. Mr.. Cone
expects he will never b1 able to produce q
match to the incompatible great bird.