10 THE HISTOKT OP 



rear yard, and my friend (then, but who subsequently 

 passed to a competitor, and eventually turned into a sharj» 

 but harmless enemy) was greatly delighted with them, as I 

 saw from his enthusiastic conversation, and his laudation of 

 their merits. 



■ I am not very fast, perhaps, to appreciate the drift of a 

 man's motives in casual conversation, — and then, again, it 

 inay be that I am "not so slow " to comprehend certain 

 matters as I might be ! At all events, I have sometimes 

 flattered myself that, on occasions like this, I can " see as 

 far into a millstone as can he who picks it;" and so I 

 listened to my friend, heard all he had to say, and made 

 up my mind accordingly, before he left me. 



"I tell you, B — — , those are handsome chickens," he 

 insisted. " I 've got a fine lot, myself You keep but one 

 variety, I notice. I 've got 'em all." 



"All what?" I inquired. 



"0, all kinds — all kinds. The Chinese, "and the 

 Malays, and the Gypsies, and the Chittaprats, and the 

 Wang Hongs, and the Yankee Games, and Bengallers, and 

 Cropple-crowns, and Creepers, and Top-knots, and Gold 

 Pheasants, and Buff Dorkings, and English Games, and 

 Black Spanish and Bantams, — and I've several new 

 breeds too, I have made myself, by crossing and mixing, in 

 the last year, which beat the world for beauty and size, and 

 excellence of.qtiality." 



