The Republican. [volume] (Oakland, Md.) 1877-current, 1899-03-09
such falsrAood TIL find out his trick

even with the motive of exposing de-
ception. What we did was to go out
side the fair grounds fence and come
. round in the rear of the cage. Bee
"show" was placed on one side Of the
| grounds near the fence. Through a
| chink in the upright boards we watched
| his operations for an hour or more. 1t
was some time before we gained the
least hint as to the true nature of his
| gift, but we noticed that the cage had
4 double bottom, or rather two bot
toms. about three inches apart, each
of sheet iron, and that when Bee wished
to set the turkeys dancing he thrust
the iron rod between the two bottoms
and ratified it against them. But this
was no adequate explanation, and we
were still in the dark.
Three or four successive exhibitions
of the dance were given while we were
watching. Probably. the poor turkeys
were getting tired; for we observed
that during the last dance Bee had to
rattle vigorously two or three times.
After few minutes another so cents
was SuDSNAlDCNJ VIC COulu near the
crowd calling out: ION with the
dance! Keep it going!" Then we saw
Bee step back between the cage and the
fence, so as to be concealed from the
spectators by the curtain. As he poked
the fire under his oven he slyly threw
three handshovelfuls of the burning
coal from the stove between the two
sheet iron bottoms of the cage. Then
he ratified with the shovel, and, step
ping out, pulled open the curtain. In a
moment the turkeys were dancing
smartly; we could hear them hop and
flutter very plainly
l smile even now when I recall the
look of mingled triumph and disgust
on Toms face as he glanced at me to
see if l, too, had comprehended.
That's his gift" he whispered.
THE cruel little scoundrel! That's the
way he's taught the poor things to
dance-by roasting the bottoms of their
feet! I'll wager that he blistered them
more than once before he educated
them to hop Highland Fling!"
But he doesn't seem to put in hot
Goals every time" said.
But that part is plain enough" re-
piled Tom. He has got the poor crea-
lures in such terror of a scorching that
the very sound of the shovel or poker
will set them hopping"
1t was pretty evident that we had di-
vined the nature of Bez' gift. As we
stood there we could hear him talking
glibly of the different fairs at which
he had exhibited his turkeys. Next
week | shall show them to the people
of Franklin county at their annual cat
tie show at F." we heard him add.
Yes" said Tom, 81 am much obliged
for that bit of information. l have a
cousin living there who is lively sort
| of fellow. I'll drop him hint as to
what's coming. Something will be sure
to follow"
AS we went past the post Office Tom
stepped in, bought an envelope, and
sent the following note:
! Dear Nose: Look out for fellow with
| seven dancing turkeys at your cattle show
| next week. He's tricky and cruel He will
| tell you he has peculiar gift for teaching
| them; but the way he does it is by putting
| live Goals in at the bottom of the cage.
| We caught him at it. Get the boys together
and expose his trick and cruelty
The manner in which the Franklin
county boys exposed Bee was described
in the Franklin Gazette, in its account
of the fair, the following Saturday. l
| give the item verbatim:
Prominent among the side shows was a
| cage of wonderful dancing turkeys, ex-
| hibited by one Bee Samuels, a youth not
| unknown to fame, who also regaled the
multitude with fresh-roasted peanuts and
sweet cider. The dancing exploits of the
| turkeys were really astonishing, and
proved feature" at once. A turkey
| taught to dance Highland Fling was
novelty which Immediately attracted pub
| lie attention.
The exhibitor expatiated upon the pa
| thence, kindness and peculiar gift requisite
for training turkeys to such high art in the
| Terpsichorean line.
But alas for Bee! 1t was discovered that
his peculiar gift consisted in putting live
Goals from his peanut rooster under the
| thin iron bottom of the cage in which the
| poor birds were confined.
| Now the people Of Franklin county are
| great admirers of roast turkey, particular
| ~ toward Thanksgiving; but the idea Of
| roasting the turkey alive did not appeal
to them. Not much was said at the time
but very early the following morning,
when as yet few people had arrived at the
fair grounds. select party, headed 1t is
| SAID, by one Nose Evans, called round upon
the gifted Samuels, took him summarily
in hand, and having removed his shoes and
stockings, popped him bodily into his own
cage. Our special constables, who would
doubtless have interposed, appear not to
have arrived at that hour, and quite re-
| CARELESS OF Beg protestations, the visit
ing wags proceeded to fire up beneath the
| cage
1t is limited that in the matter of the
| Highland Fling, Bee far outdid his tur-
Keys for space of at least five minutes,
and would have undoubtedly leaped much
higher had the top of the cage permitted
lie sang, meantime, upon a very elevated
| key.
He was finally let out with a hint that
travel would probably prove the best balm
FOR his heated soles. This advice he acted
upon with such promptness that our re-
porter was unable to overtake and inter
| view him.
Youths Companion.
A Truthful KIndergartner.
Two little boys from a kindergarten
| n int