REMEDY AND DISEASE 47 



I removed the deceased pullet, buried it in 

 the compost heap, plugged up the rat-hole with 

 broken glass and tin, and sought the latest poul- 

 try magazine. There it was : " Five Hundred 

 Ferrets for Sale." Here again : "Ferrets for sale, 

 the only means of effectually ridding your prem- 

 ises of rats." And here: "Ferrets, the friend of 

 poultry," and "Ferrets, the preserver of fowls." 



I did not want five hundred of them, but thought 

 a pair of healthy specimens would be a mighty 

 good investment. The main winter industry of 

 my farm was threatened with extinction, and it 

 behooved me to act, and act with promptness. 



So I went to Boston the next day, although it 

 is my principle never to travel unnecessarily, ex- 

 cept in the transaction of business for a client, 

 and at his expense. I went directly to a bird store 

 on Portland Street, and inquired for ferrets. I 

 was shown some beauties, that is, the pro- 

 prietor spoke of them as beauties, although to 

 me they seemed snaky, red-eyed varmints of a 

 most unattractive and unprepossessing appear- 

 ance. 



They had, however, some astonishing ac- 

 complishments, which amazed me greatly. The 

 dealer put five of them into a cigar-box, in the 

 cover of which was a small round hole, out of 

 which one promptly poked its head, and seizing a 

 piece of raw meat the dealer held out to it, hung to 



