THE HEN FEVER. 195 



tion or existence of any such society as this, of which he 

 thus nominally appeared to be the presiding oflScer. At any 

 rate, after diligent inquiry, I could never ascertain that 

 anybody knew anything about any such an association, 

 except himself. 



However, this was a matter of no sort of consequence, of 

 course. The Fitchburg Depot Show, in Boston, was a sim- 

 ilar affair ; and I now joined in this exhibition without 

 asking unnecessary questions, — because I saw that there 

 was fan ahead, and that / could make an honest penny out 

 of it, whether Bamum did or not. 



Every one now put his best foot foremost ; and, as this 

 fair approached, Shanghaes were converted into Cochin- 

 Chinas (by the knowing ones), by the removal of the 

 feathers from the legs ; the mongrels were made "feathered- 

 legged Bother' ems, by the free use of gum-tragacanth and 

 down; the long-tailed fowls were deprived of all super- 

 fluous plumes, through the aid of the pincers ; and what 

 this last process did not satisfactorily effect, the application 

 of the shears completed (see engraving!); until, at last, 

 the unlucky bipeds, whom nature had originally supplied 

 with decent caudal appendages, were reduced to that re- 

 quisite state of brevity, astern, which the mode or the taste 

 of the day demanded. And, at length, all was ready for 

 the great "National Show" in New York city. 



As it turned out, the whole thing (though an Miter sham 



