CHAPTER XXVI. 



"policy the best honesty." 



This reversion of the old saying that " honesty 's the 

 best policy " seem'jd to have finally attained among many 

 hen-men, and the ambition to dispose of their now large 

 surplus stock, at the best possible prices, had become very 

 general, while the means to accomplish it came to be imma- 

 terial, so that they got rid of their fancy poultry at iancy 

 figures. ' 



Nothing that could be said against me and my stock was 

 neglected, or omitted to be said. But, as long as fowls 

 would sell at all, I had my full share of the trade, notwith- 

 standing this. The following veritable letter, received from 

 a noted "breeder," in 1853, will explain itself; and it ex- 

 hibits the disposition of more than one huckster still left 

 around us. It will be observed that this gentleman called 

 me his " friend " ! 



" Friend B : What has become of all the trade ? I 



have n't sold twenty dollars' worth of chickens, in a month ! 

 I 've now got over three hundred of these curses on hand — 



