142 THE HISTORY OF 



wanted the breed exclusively to himself. It was of no 

 avail, however, and his friend promised to embrace the first 

 opportunity to steal the hen, and all the eggs he could find, 

 if his request were not complied with ; whereupon the doc- 

 tor at length reluctantly promised to send him a dozen 

 within a week, provided he said nothing about it. He 

 would do it for him, as a- particular favor — and so he 

 was as good aa his word. 



The young lawyer had his poultry-yard, also; and,, select- 

 ing a fine hen, he quickly set her upon thechoieeBother'tem 

 eggs, resolved to have as good a show as his neighbor. But 

 three weeks passed — four, and upwards — but no chickens 

 appeared ! He broke up the nest, at last, and then called 

 upon the doctor at once. f^siSt- 



"What luck, Tom?" " ;.j.«w 



"Not a chick!" - -'ts'X 



"No!" 



" Not a one. The eggs were n't good." 



"No? That is queer," continued the doctor, "when I 

 took so much extra pains with 'em." 



"Extra pains — . how ? " 



"Why, I boiled every one of ^ em, the last thing before 

 I Bent 'em down to you ! " 



And so he did. Tom grinned, squirmed, and went home;* 

 — but that was n't the laat of this joke. ' 



Six months afterwards,, the keen-witted doctor; visited the 



