The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1932-11-18

0 cussion of the species Of fowl who,
once q year, is our national bird, it might not
be amiss to consider the origin Of that typical
" American expression ito talk turkey"
certain tradition is to be believed, ii had its
origin in an incident which is as typicany Amer
lean as is the custom Of observing a Thanks
giving day on the last Thursday in November
and making il feast day of typically-American
edbles chief Of which is the native American
turkey.
Away back in the early days Cjust when no
one seems TO know in one of the thirteen colo
MES lit cannot be stated positively which one,
although from certain aspects of the incident
the suspicion arises that a Yankee was one Of
the actors,) an Indian and white man agreed
to hunt together for day and then to divide
the spoils. This they did and the division pro-
ceeded agreeably enough until only crow and
q turkey remained
Thereupon the white man, volubly frank and
seemingly generous in manner said Nov you
may have the crow and I'll take the turkey;
or III take the turkey and you may have the
crow" But the red man not so easily taken
~ by this glib proposal and replied Indignantly
"Huhl Why you talk turkey TO me?" And
ever since that time, so says the legend. when
q person began TO dissemble to conceal his real
meaning in q superfuity of words, to attempt TO
put over" something on another, ii became time
for the other TO advise him TO talk turkey"
l. E. TO be straightforward and get down to
business.
Reference was made above TO the fact that
once a year the turkey is national bird. II
is just possible that he might have been our na-
tonal bird the other 364 days-that is, II sug
gestion made by jolly old Ben Franklin had been
followed And thereby hangs the tale Of the
first coins and seals that came from the mint
when the new republic of the United States of
America was established These were rather
crude affairs and the eagle on them looked very
much like a turkey-and slightly tpsy turkey
at that Whereupon Franklin wrote this COM
ment: Il am not displeased that the figure is
not known as bald eagle, but looks more ike
a turkey. For in truth, the turkey is in COM
parison a much more respectable bird and with
al true native of America. He is besides
Though little vain and silly, it is true, but
not the worse emblem for that a bird of cour-
age, and would not hesitate to attack a gren-
adler of the British guards who should pre-
sumo TO enter his farmyard with red coat on"
Franklin was quite right in calling the turkey
a true native Of America" That he was one
of the authentic first Americans is proved by
the fact that his bones in fossil deposits show
that he is of prehistoric origin, and what ap-
pears 10 have been roosting places for DOM
este turkeys have been found attached TO pu-
eblos and cliff dwellings in excavated ruins Of
untold centuries ago.
The Spanards who conquered Mexico found
turkeys, both wild and domesticated in that
country as early as 1919 and ii was no less q
person than Cortez's own confessor. Fra Aga
pida, who wrote back TO Spain from Mexico the
following There is bird. much greater in big
ness than a peacock, that is found within the
forests and vegas all over this country 1t sur
passes as food any wild bird we have found up
TO this time. The natives do shoot these birds
with arrows and catch them in various kinds Of
springes and snares
Specimens of this splendid fowl were almost