Ladysmith news-budget. [volume] (Ladysmith, Rusk County, Wis.) 1907-1927, 1910-11-18

This was a gamecock of some In
dian breed, the most blackguardly
looking fowl I have ever set eyes
upon, with beetling eyebrows,
bulldog type of beak and pillar-like
legs, his athletic proportions set off
by very ught-itting plumage. How
ever, he was only fowl, thought
the two turkeys, and with Oriental
Indifference to the rules of fair play
they both set out to tackle him to-
gether. The gamecock acquitted
himself in a manner worthy Of his
breed, and bowled them over with
one blow apiece. Perhaps his natu-
raj magnanim1ty--for chanticleer Is
seldom anything but a gentleman
made him lenient with the hen; at
any rate, she was only knocked
silly" But he gave her husband a
fair Knockout blow; gripping his
waffle with the bulldog bill, he
brought the columnar shanks down
on the bulky adversary's neck with
such force that, when l saw the de-
feated bully he was sitting in a
state Of paralytic collapse, and not
long after ingloriously expired.
Such is the part the turkey plays
as tame bird-a pretentious and
pushing person who occasionally col
Iapses ANONYMOUSLY. Nor are his
aspect and career as wild bird
different, for he is one Of the few
creatures which have altered very
little in domestication; and though
he may be regarded as the premier
bird of America, and gains a GER
tain amount of dignity and consid-
GRAFTON thereby, there is comic
element in his performances and
misfortunes which robs him of the
dignity of the feathered mobiles Of
the older world. The blackguardly
tendencies which, seen In domesti-
cation, have caused some people to
suggest that he is called turkey
because he behaves like the proven
bal unspeakable Turk. are In full
swing in his wild ancestor, who is
altogether born in sin. His wife, or
wives-for he is an inVeterate polyg-
amist, even In his primitive condi-
tion-have to keep their infant
poults out of his way, or he will
crack their little heads for them;
and when he conquers and Stays a
rival gobbler, he tramples him when
he is down and done for. His court
ship is every bit as absurd in the
wilds as it IS in the farmyard, and
ancient turkey dowagers emulate
his absurdities In strutting to win
his regard, though the pullets main
tain a proper modesty of demeanor.
Moreover, the willy hunter brings
about his downfall in ways which
make him look undignifed-no other
bird is lured to his end In such
queerly discreditable ways.
One is to call him up within shot
by initiating the voice Of her he
loves for the time being. On small
pipe, often made of turkeys own
drumstick bone, the sportsman imi-
tates what he ungallantly calls the
"yelp" of the hen turkey, and the
infatuated gobbler, lured by the soft
invitation, is often decoyed within
range. To his credit be it said, how
ever, he displays fine ear, and Ii
he detects anything suspiciously in
sincere in the accents Of the con-
cealed charmer, it will be clever
imnersonator who gets him to an
swer another matrimonial advertise
ment for that season at all events.
Another plan is the turkey trap,
which is a pen made Of logs and en-
tered by trench, across which
there is bridge just inside the en-
trance. A train of corn leads the
41:n nnd when they are inside and