Virginia gazette. [volume] (Williamsburg, Va.) 1893-192?, 1899-02-11
BEE SAMUEL S
DANCING TURKEYS
By c. A. Stephens

ones, six bronze and one white
on board over the wire front OF their
cage was painted the announcement;
Seven Dancing Turkeys; Exhibited
For the First Time; Round md Square
Dances and the Highland Fling"
The exhibitor was a salow-looking
boy about Is years Of age. with droil
droop of his left eye. In connection
with his cage OF educated turkeys"
which be was showing at the county
lair. be had a sweet-cider and peanut
stand. The peanuts were excellent for
he had a stove kept hot with coal FIRE.
and roasted ovenful after ovenful The
stove ard fuel box were partly hidden
from the public eye by curtain al one
end; and both stand and cage had just
behind them the high board fence OF
the fair grounds.
Few people knew the owner Those
few called him Bee Samuels He had
been at the fair the year before with
"whirling table" which. after the hrst
day. had been excluded by the manage
msnt as something too nearly akin TO
gambling.
But this time he had brought n flock
OF educated turkeys. which spoke so
we'll for his patience and skill that his
show was admitted 10 the grounds
without question.
During the first day the cage did not
attract much attention. for the people
were interested In other novelties. but
soon they began 10 talk about H..
Bez' plan OF exhibiting was not the
usual one lie had no tent. but merely
a slide curtain inside the wire front OF
the cage. Whenever the passing crowd
raised 50 cents Be- opened the curtain
aud gave a brief performance. OF
, course many saw IL who bad paid moth
ing: vet a. many newcomers were con-
stantly arriving the plan worked well.
During the forenoon Of the second
day Of the fair my friend Tom and
and ten or a dozen other young peo-
% pie contributed the 80 cents requisite
. 10 see the turkeys dauce.
; There was rattling sound rs Bel
q pulled the curtain aside. and imme
diately those seven turkeys began K
q hop. first on one foot. then on the other
constantly shifting and moving around
the cage. One could scarcely say tina
X they executed a regular figure; bu
= they went round and round. hopping il
; very curious and ludicrous manner
Moreover. IL was hard 10 guess the mo
tive for their antics. The bottom o
the cage inside the wires appeared q
>. be OF old zinc or sheet iron. Occasion
y ally Bez either struck the bottom O
n the cage or ratified beneath II as II Wit
an iron rod. To change tie time of III
n. dance" as ne explained.
At once. then. the turkeys began {
leap higher. using their wings 10 assis
: them At every hop they rose 10 III
top OF the cage. height OF ceriainl
six feet. Their feet seemed scArcel
10 touch the ground al all. so rapid
:. did their leaps succeed each other. Ul
up. and up and around they went in
maze OF leaping and tapping! Tn
was the Highland Fling" and 10 OF
At who saw IL could help laughing.
r. After a minute or two Bee pulled II
IS curtain. and. thanking Us. declared II
- performance over. Nearly everyol
&c. went away remarking that there new
n was such a turkey dance. and in q
N course Of ten minutes another 50 cen
.r- were collected. People wondered be
nr a bird so stupid rs turkey could ev
nave DcCu 10 - SUI
he performances Music had nothing to-
nd with g.; Bee had merely raped on I,
FRS floor as a signal for the dance &c beg
crn and had ratified louder for the Zig
nd land Fling"
ted 1T must have taken no end OF til
did and patience 10 teach them" rene
Der saying 10 my companion
ast Maybe; but doubt H." be repli'
OF II don't like the looks Of that 'fez
red be continued. II think it's trick.
for Some discussion ensued: then
for went back 10 ask him how he
nri trained the turkeys.
,les The fellow looked az us attentive
sch and then gave an account Of The ~gi
YES be possessed OF communicating
ne will" 10 birds and animals u
rry quired months. he said; but kirdn
or and perseverance, accomplish wonde
de- We said 10 him that 81 was truly
He wonderful gift. and left. well safisI
her that be bad not told as the truth
,ms Hes a fraud remarked Tom as
walked away If he had said Ga
hat that he did rot wish 10 tell us abou
fol- ] shouldn't have blamed him. for
ave course it's his secret ~ be wants
yer keep ~. ne has q right - wnuls
En- spy -ound 70 snd Il cut. either;