192 



THE HISTOKY OF 



"Cam't say," responded John. "You're pooty bad. 

 There 's nuth'n' in this country that '11 cure you. Hi '11 go 

 hout to Hingland, if you say so, and hi can git somethin' 

 there that '11 'elp you. It ar'n't to be 'ad in Ameriky, 

 though." 



" Sho !" exclaimed Barnum; " you don't say so .' Do 

 you think, John, that we could find something in England 

 that would knock 'em, here?" 



"Nothing else," replied John. " flif know where they 

 keep 'em." (John was raised in Great Britain.) 



"But, John," persisted Phineaa, "there's Burnham, 

 you know, of Boston. They say he has the best poultry in 

 the world ; and I 've no doubt of it, between you and I." 



" Fudge ! " exclaimed John ; " Burn'am 's a very clever 

 fellow, hi 've no manner o' doubt, and hi won't say nuth'n' 

 ag'insU'im ; but 'ee 's the wust 'umbug you ever see, since 

 you 'ad breath. 'Ee don't know the dif 'rence 'tween a 

 Shanghi and a Cochin-Chiny — an' never did. 'Ee 's a 

 hum, 'is Burn'am. Don't go near '^m, unless you want 

 the skin shaved hoff o' yer knuckles, clean." 



" Well, John," said the show-man, " something must be 

 done. I 've got the fever, bad, I 'm afraid, as you suggest ; 

 and it must be fed. What can you do for me? " 



John thought the matter over, and it was finally agreed, as 

 there were no good fowls in America (according to John's 

 notions), that he should be deputized by Phineas to proceed 



