THE HEN FEVER. 197 



as regarded its being a society matter) proved to have been 

 well conceived, and, from beginning to end, was admirably 

 well carried out. Mr. Barnum did his part most creditably 

 at this first show in New York, and the experiment was 

 eminently successful. 



The birds were afforded excellent care, and an immense 

 quantity of good specimens found their way to the Museum 

 at the appointed time. For a week, notwithstanding the 

 very dull weather, the great rooms of the American Museum 

 on Broadway were thronged with visitors ; and Barnum was 

 in high glee at the entire success of his undertaking. 



Not content with one week's show of the fowls, Barnum 

 proposed that it should be continued for six days longer ; 

 and the crowd continued to visit this exhibition for another 

 week, and to pour in with their friends, their wives, their 

 children, and their quarters, to the great edification and 

 satisfaction of the proprietor of the show, and the " Presi- 

 dent " of the " National Poultry Society." 



I was there, with a goodly quantity of my " rare " and 

 "unexceptionable" and "pure-bred" fowls, which were 

 greatly admired by the thousands of lookers-on, who fiocked 

 to this extraordinary exhibition. It was really astonishing 

 (to me, at least) what very fine birds I had at this show. 



And, " may be," fowls did n't sell there ! If I remem- 

 ber rightly, "the people" were round, on that occasion. 

 And so was /.' 



17* 



