RECREA TION. 



407 



able vices ; then, too, he has something 

 to be proud of, and his vainness does not 

 detract from his good qualities. He is 

 essentially domestic in his habits and is 

 generally willing to do his share of the 

 nest warming and bread winning. He is 

 no coward either, and would as soon fight 

 as run if the occasion demands it. He 

 is jealous of his rights and not averse 

 to doing battle with any rival for the 

 favor of some mild-eyed member of the 

 feathered harem. His voice is not sweet, 

 but it has the merit of strong individu- 

 ality, and is, perhaps, as mellifluous as 

 the yell of his competitor for national 

 honors. In fact, he possesses most of 

 the merits of the eagle, with very few 

 of his bad qualities. It is no argument 

 against the turkey that he cannot soar 

 among the clouds, for he has important 

 business to attend to on earth, and his 

 sphere of usefulness would not be in- 

 creased if he took his breakfast in one 

 county, his dinner in another, and his 

 supper in an adjoining state. The 

 turkey is a permanent resident, who is 

 law-abiding and pays his taxes. The 

 eagle is a Bohemian rover, belonging to 

 no particular locality, and like those un- 

 desirable people who come to stay only 

 so long as they can pick up something 

 for themselves. 



The apotheosis of the turkey occurs 

 when he has finished and rounded out 

 his earthly career and is sacrificed to 

 furnish forth the thanksgiving feast. 

 His honors continue even after death ! 

 When turkeys were first introduced into 

 England, Archbishop Cranmer con- 



sidered them so essential, from a gas- 

 tronomic standpoint, that he made them 

 an element of the Christmas festivities. 

 Our Puritan forefathers, with that wis- 

 dom which characterized them in mat- 

 ters of national moment, transferred 

 this noble bird to the position of honor 

 on the Thanksgiving board ; a place 

 which he has since occupied with great 

 dignity, and to the inward satisfaction of 

 his many admirers. On such occasions 

 he is already our national bird, and, if a 

 ballot were then taken, would get all the 

 votes. 



In selecting a national coat of arms 

 there is no good reason why we should 

 be servile imitators of the ancient Ro- 

 mans, and adopt their well-worn em- 

 blem. 



With the stately turkey wandering 

 through our fields and threading our 

 forests, we have no need of looking else- 

 where for the fitting insignia of our 

 commonwealth. If the eagle is the em- 

 blem of war, let us have the turkey ; he 

 shall proclaim the piping times of 

 peace, and represent good cheer, full 

 granaries, and fruitful fields. 



Then usher in the turkey as our na- 

 tional bird ! the turkey with his flaming 

 crest and full rotundity of shape. Let 

 his head appear upon our flagstaff's, and 

 his proud and fan-like tail be graven 

 on our dollars. Let the sound of the 

 gobbler be heard in the land, and let 

 the scream of the eagle, among the crags 

 ot the wilderness, give place to the soft 

 cluck of the maternal turkey leading 

 her brood afield ' 



MY MOTTO. 



Capt. Jack Crawford, "The Poet Scout. 



Here's a motto mighty old, 



But 'tain't no use o' talkin' 



Folier it an' you'll have gold, 



An' carriage, 'stead o' walking'. 



If at first you lose your grip 



On anything you try, 

 Keep a rigid upper lip 



An' you'll get thar by and by. 



And if yer grip should slip an' slip 

 Just get some force of habit, 



Have at command a bit of sand 



And don't be skeered to grab it. 



