172 THE HISTORY OF 



genus Asvnus, you 'd have known that, without asking me. 

 Good-morning, Mr. Green.' 



"'Where is the monster?' cried Mrs. Green. 'I 

 believe the poor child is killed. 0, Sap, I did n't expect 

 this of you ! ' 



" ' Be quiet, my dear,' said Green ; ' it was only an ex- 

 periment.' 



"'An experiment, Mr. Green!' retorted the lady, 

 ■sharply ; ' your wife and child nearly killed, and you call 

 it an experiment ! Nurturing ostriches to devour your ofiF- 

 spring ! I wonder you don't take to raising elephants.' 



" ' No danger of that, Maria,' replied her husband, 

 meekly. 'I have " seen the elephant." And to-morrow I 

 shall send my entire stock to the auction-room, — Shang- 

 haes, Chittagongs, Brahma Pootras, Goohins, Warhens and 

 Warhoos. They 're nice birds, great layers, small eaters, 

 but they — don^t pay! " 



Mr. Green was cured, of course ; and though his antici- 

 pations were great, yet he had his predecessors and his 

 successors in the hen traffic, who were almost as sanguine 

 as he, and who not only "paid through the nose " for their 

 experience, but who came off, in the end, really, with quite 

 as little success. Mr. Green was but one of many. Mr. 

 Green was one of " the people." 



It will be remembered that my correspondents allude to 

 the fowls they " see in the noospapers." 



