Pine Bluff daily graphic. (Pine Bluff, Ark.) 1893-1942, 1911-12-22
TURKEY STRUTS
ALL OVER EAGLE
POPULAR BIRD TO BE REYOURED
IN MANY HOMES DURING
THE HOLIDAYS.
PRICES REASONABLE
Some Facts and Figures on the Num-
Der OF Turkeys to Be Eaten in
Pine Bluff at Christmas Time.

Though the American Eagle, truly
imposing and majestic bird, Is gener-
ally conceded to be the representative
of the people of the United States, and
is honored by having his noble mien
spread on most of the seals emblematic
of these ninety million souls. Just at
the present time his popularity Is
greatly overshadoWed by another bird,
also of American origin and without
whom Christmas, Thanksgiving Day
and New Years day could hardly be
lifted from among the ordinary days
and celebrated with such fervor
The turkey, who, any time between
the first day of the year and tht last
Thursday of November is the most
majestic and grandest appearing of
fowls as he struts around the BARN.
yard, apparently unconcerned of his
approaching fate, is the subject OF
more discussion, more anticipation,
more dickering and more eating than
the American Eagle ever dared to be.
Without him Christmas and al, the
other holidays of that period would
lose most of their joy, and 1t is not to
be doubted at all that should his tribe
become extinct those days that we
be noticed no more than any Other
day.
The favorite American fowl at pres
ent is bringing anywhere from Is cents
to 25 cents a pound, it matters not
where ne is full dressed, undressed,
feather dressed, on the foot or in any
other attitude that he may be found
And the grocerymen and butchers o.
Pine Bluff say he is fairly good sell
err this year, but they also add that
they are plentiful and there is one for
every family in Pine Bluff and Jeffer-
son county and if that particular fam
lily can scrape up the required amount
for Is or IS pound bird, in any of the
! above costumes.
If all the turkeys that will be con-
mas day could be piled in one spot
! it would require about as much space
as tht Pyramid of Gizeh and probably
be a little higher. In Pine Bluff,
about 1920 of the bird will be devou.-
! ed. The weight of the turkeys, aver
aging them at 16 pounds each, will
amount to 4S,33H pounds and the total
amount for that principal delicacy on
the bill of fare in Tint Bluff homes
figuring at about % cents pound,
fair average will be $10,63392. Of
course, this is little more than will
actually be spent, but it gives a good
general idea of the number of turkeys
and their Vault that VIII disappear
from the face of the earth on Christ
mas day.
i What the dict onary has to say about
i the turkey is very interesting Mr..
Webster says that the 'cognomen of the
bird is a missioner and that it obtain
ed its name from the erroneous belief
/ that it originally came from Turkey.
He also goes on to say that the turkey
| is any gallianceous bird belonging 10
the genus Meleagris, especially the
North American wild turkey (Mele-
agris gallapavo), and the domestic
turkey, but had been domesticated by
the Indians long before the discovery
of America. That may be all right
but Americans don't believe it. They
are absolutely sure that this delicious
fowl came originally from Turkey.
Doesn't he wear red fez just like the
Turk. and he has other characters
tics that bear out this contention.
Anyhow, no matter where he came
from or what he he will be the
chief entertainer at dinner on the 25tn
day of December, and will continue to
be for SONS years to come. Old Mai
Dam has bought one, big one, to-
and Mrs. Dam Will spread herself to
get him cooked just right before she
places him before the young Dams on
Christmas day, with accompanying en-
bellishments And with great smack
ing of lips and swelling of the waist
band, accompanied by the rat-a-tat-tat
of one of his drumsticks in the hands
of baby Dam, who is awarded this por-
ton of tbs august bird every time the
preceding Dam families sat down to