THE IIEN FEVER. 141 



he found that his favorite hen had hatched half a dozen pure 

 mud-turtles, all of which, upon brealcing from the shells, 

 seized upon the flesh of the poor fowl, and had well-nigh 

 taken her life before they could be "choked oif" He 

 has given up the chicken-trade, and has since gone into the 

 dwarf-pear business. Poor devil ! 



A youthful lawyer of my acquaintance, away Down East, 

 who was proverbial for his " sharp practice " at the bar, 

 met with a young doctor, who was a great bird-fancier, 

 and with whom he subsequently formed an intimate 

 acquaintance. Our medicinal friend owned a pretty little 



estate, distant a few miles from the city of P , where 



he kept up a very neat establishment, which was thoroughly 

 appointed. Among his out-of-door appurtenances, he 

 maintained a modern bee-house, a choice dove-cot, and a 

 well-selected aviary ; in the latter he had some choice poul- 

 try, and into this the doctor invited his legal associate, one 

 day, to examine his specimens of cacklers and crowers. 



There was a super-excellent "Bother'em" fowl among 

 this collection, — a rare hen, the many good qualities of 

 which the doctor dilated on (as he always did before his 

 visitors), and the lawyer took a fancy to the beauty, instan- 

 ter; but this fowl was a great favorite, and the doctor 

 would neither, sell, lend, or give her away; and then the 

 visitor begged some of her eggs, as a last favor. But the 

 doctor was selfish in regard to this particular bird — he 



