MORE SETBACKS 77 



True enough, when I did return I found that 

 a change had taken place, but not just the change 

 I had anticipated, for two of my hens had scaled 

 their w r ire fence, imbibed freely of what was left 

 of the contents of the pail, and now lay lifeless 

 and with their claws sticking stiffly in the air as if 

 imploring pity, while the plants were more limp 

 than before. I again sprinkled the plants, put the 

 pail away in safety, buried the hens, and had 

 lunch. 



That night there was no change in the flabbi- 

 ness of the plants, but considerable discoloration 

 was perceptible. The next morning they were 

 so black that I almost gave up hope, but admin- 

 istered another sprinkling and left them. 



At noon I again consulted my friend Daniel, 

 who viewed the remains, asking some pointed 

 questions, and then said: "Why, you blooming 

 lunatic, did n't you know that we had a sharp 

 frost yesterday morning ? Well, there was, and 

 your tomato-plants were frost-killed. If you only 

 got up in the morning as I do, you would n't 

 have been spending the time and money in poison- 

 ing potato-bugs when they ain't hatched yet, and 

 won't be for two months." 



