Eagle River review. [volume] (Eagle River, Wis.) 1890-1927, 1896-12-03


Massachusetts village of Primeyil!e. He
was the joint property Of Bill and Ralph
Prime, two farmers sons IA and 10
years of age, who, according to the good
old fashion in the Prime family, were
given each year some portion of the
farm stock-a cosset lamb, a brood of
chickens, pig, cote of pigeons-to rear
and sell or keep as their very own. This
year their share of the farm products
was Launcelot Gobbo and his mate.
His name was given him by the village
school teacher, a young college student
who CHANGED to come frequently to cali
on the boys sister, Mary Prime. Gobho
was chosen as their handsel because he
was such a mammoth turkey chick, a
| nine-days' wonder; and by careful
and consistent feeding, and by tender
cherishing, he had fulfilled the great
promise of his youth. Ralph thought
in the weight at least five pounds higher.
AS the turkey was full and rich of
feather and very tall. he looked to me
twice as large as any other [ had ever
seen; really big enough to reach the
Seventeenth century standard of
'three score pound in weight"
He had other claims of consideration
besides his distinguished name and his
size; he was an accomplished turkey a
trick performer. Like Shakespaare's
famous Gobbo for whom he was named,
he fused his heels at his masters com
mands.' When Bill struck the ground
near him with a stick and called out
and set up shrill fife-lke whistle,
Gobbo spread his great fan-like tail,
and nodded and bowed his head, and
circled and hoped around in exact time
with the rapping of the stick, in the
most pompous, ridiculous, mirth-proyok-
ing caricature of a dance that ever was
footed or clawed. He posed before the
whole town as show-bird. Stolid
farmers for miles around came TO see
him, and roared aloud at his dancing,
which he had to exhibit every day in the
| week. Even on Sundays at the neon
ing, Bill proudly but secretly led the
neighbors' boys home to the farm and
behind the barn; though the deacons
sternly frowned on a Sunday dance,
even by a turkey who had no soul to be
| saved.
TWAS the first of November; Gobbo
was still growing ard still dancing,
when one day a gaily-painted vehicle
With q smart horse came dashing into
town. The wagon had an enclosed box
behind the chaise front. It might be
taken for a peddler's cart or a patent
medicine coach, but it was neither: it
! was the collecting van of a Boston ian
tiqueE man. Persuasive. smiling, fiat
IcIlAs5e. 1IItOs every kllcHGTI
board and dresser, in every parlor6 clos
ct, in9easalNa bedroom and gabled- attic.
| he gathered in his lucrative country
harvest Of brass and irons and candle
sticks, of old blue dishes and copper lus-
ter pitchers, of harpback chairs and
spinning wheels. He debonairly pur-
chased two pewter porringers, sam
pier and an old mirror of Mrs. Prime.
while he effusively praised the farm
and the cattle. And as he partook of
the apples and cider generously set be-
fore him, he shouted with laughter at
Gobbo, who proudly danced for him
again and again. AS the early twilight
out a cheerful goodnight and drove away.
Gobbo also staIked off and forever
from the Prime dooryard, for in the
morning he had vanished from the farm
us completely as if he had evaporated.
How the boys stormed and mourned;
how fercely they descended on the ''col-
ored" Johnsons. more than suspected in
the past of chicken stealing; how they
hunted the woods and meadows; how
they fretted and fumed-but to no avail
To check their worry and anger, their
mother sent them off to Boston to spend
Thanksgiving week with their married
sister.
With the sea-loving curiosity Of those
of inland birth and breeding, the boys
haunted the Wharves and lower portions
of the city: and on the day before
Thanksgiving. as they wandered 10
from the docks through a crowded and
noisy street. they joined a little group
gathered around the show window of Il
''Dimc Musee," for i'll the window stood
as a lure, a promise of treasures and
wonders within, al enormous turkey.
penned in wire coop. dropping Of feath-
err. and listlessly feeding.
'Hc isn't nearly as big as Gobho.".'
,l1~ A<r% II
answered Ralph: but even as they spoke
there gathered in their questioning
brains, in their eager eyes. a conviction
which burst forth from their lips: at
is Gobbo!'
Now these were Yankee boys. slow
but shrewd. and they knew every feath-
err of the wings. every fold of the comb
and wattles of their pet; but each paid
his dime and entered the museum to be
sure. Past the voluble Snowman. the
wax figures. the stuffed animals. they
silently strolled to the window. No one
else stood near within doors: Dance.
t4obbo. dance for the ladies' cried
Bill, excitedly. striking the floor with
his cane, and bis heart beat high. Oh!
how the crowd outside on the street
laughed as Gobbo spread his tail and
danced "most high and disposedly." as
the French ambassador said of Queen
Elizabeth in the gayotte.
A great printed card hung over Cob
bo's pen: he was to be ratified that very
night I never knew how the boys
evolved the plan or presented it to the
Snowman. or how they ever persuaded
him: but soon he was shouting ott at
his door: This truly magnificent tur-
key. the biggest ever known in the civil
lied world this feathered monarch OF
the entire ornithology of the United
States. will be ratified tonight at Q quar-
ter chance. at o'clock. in this hall,
but in novel. extraordinary, and wholly
Unique manner. This yallyble fowl
will be set at liberty. and. unguided. I'M
solicited. uninfuenced, unhampered and
unbiased. will belong solely and ex-clu-
siye-ly to the man. woman or child to
whom he flies. walks, creeps or runs
You may be sure the Prime boys never
left the museum hall, nor their place in
the front row. ready for the rattle. At
SIS the hall was filled with a noisy but
not disorderly crowd. surrounding the cir
cular platform in the center of the hall
upon which stood the master of cere-
monies, and Gobbo, encircled by his wire
netting and still feeding. The show
man made his speech and the wire net
ting was removed: but Gobbo, bewild
cred by the noise. refused to be ratified
and declined to go to anyone. The
Snowman entreated silence. and attempt
ed to force the turkey to leave the plat
form. A reasonable silence prevailed.