Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1902-02-01
CHARLEs1ON's BLACK WINGS.
Like the While Wings of Gotham,

Like the White Wings of Gotham,
They Help Keep che City Clean.
OF all the odd pets I have ever seen
or heard of, it seems to me that
Charleston's pet buzzards go up at the
very top Of the list. These buzzards
are not only allowed to roam about
the streets and market place at will,
but their lives are protected by law.
Recently I made my first visit to
Charleston in order to attend the OPEN
ing Of the great exposition in that city,
an enterprise Of great magnitude and
most worthy Of the praise and hearty
support of the people Of the entire
country. While on the spot deter
mined to investigate and find out for
myself about these strange pets Of the
city authorities.
I had always understood that Mr..
Buzzard made his headquarters about
the central market. which is situated
on one of the principal streets, near
the United States custom house, and
between the Charleston Hotel and the
celebrated old church of st. Michaers.
One bright morning I started out. To
my great astonishment soon walk
ed right up to big flock Of
these ebony birds. picking at bones
or loose scraps Of meat, and NOV
ing about on the market pavement
in quite a leisurely way and as uncon.
cerned about the life around them as
chickens in a farmers barnyard. The
crowd Of people going in and out Of the
market paid no more attention to these
feathered monsters at their feet than
we do to as many English sparrows on
our streets.
I slowly drew nearer and nearer, all
the time watching them closely, for
had never been so near birds Of this
feather and odor in all my life. I was
surprised to find the sight so bewilder-
ing as we'll as entertaining. To me
they seemed not only to be leisurely
engaged in eating their morning repast
but at the same time were initiating
many of the different characteristics
Of the human family. Their actions
were so true to nature In many phases
Of human life that almost felt I was
witnessing a real play, the pavement
before me being a stage. Soon 1t oc-
Cured to me that buzzards perhaps
first became welcome visitors in the
streets Of Charleston some hundred
years ago, not as scavengers, as the
modern Charlestonian will now tell you,
but simply to entertain the people by
their many odd and clever acts. will
here note a few of their performances,
which I witnessed that morning.
One seemed to me to be the wag Of
the flock and would raise one wing
much higher than the other, and in a
staggering zig-zag way walk across
the street, which act seemed at least
highly satisfactory to himself. An
other would hold his wings in a most
graceful position and give a few steps
of that old-time favorite dance known
as the minuet. Others would stand
very erect while putting the tips Of
their wings very close around their
feet and letting the upper parts stand
out a little. giving them the appear
ance Of initiating the members Of the
United States supreme court in their
official gowns. Others appeared like
prim, dignified widows in deepest
mourning and with hearts bowed down
with sorrow. Some looked like haugh-
ty bondholders with no poor kin and
plenty of money to burn. Others gave
an appearance Of being poor and proud
and were just certain they belonged to
the very first families Of the land, and
that in their veins flowed purer blood
and more of it than any other buzzard
in the whole flock. while many others
cut to perfection the old-fashioned pig
con wing" with its many variations.
No wonder they are so naughty and
without regard for the rights and feel
ings Of others, for they have trust
founded upon the richest scavenger
business in one Of the oldest cities Of
the land, and theirs was perhaps the
first trust in America. Trust magnates
among men are always supposed to be
defiant, and why should they not be
likewise among buzzards?
| had not been looking at their en-
tertainment long before they seemed
to recognize me as a stranger fresh
from up the country, for Charleston
people never appear to notice them any
more than they do the cobblestones
in the street. They shot at me about
the most defiant looks I ever had.
was plainly shown that they regarded
me as an intruder meddling with the
affairs of my superiors, and the sooner
would get about my business the
oetter. Some Of them acted as If they
were enjoying among themselves
little bit Of fun at my expense.
| 1 was there to investigate the buzz
zard situation to the best advantage,
and instead Of leaving I drew nearer
and made a motion with my umbrella
as If I were going to contend for the
breakfast Of one old fellow who was
picking at bone on the pavement. He
showed great anger at being thus dis
turbed in the enjoyment Of his vested
rights and held his wings in a most de-
fiant attitude, and his eyes fairly burn
ed with rage, which would have done
credit to our fighting American eagle
himself.
1 was struck with the fact that every
one of these Charleston buzzards, like
all Cinnamon, looked very old. If one