200 IHB HISTORY OF 



his "profession," and knew a hawk from a handsaw, as 

 well as a Shanghae from a Oochin-China. And when he 

 started for. New York with my contributions, I enjoined it 

 upon him to bear in mind, under all circumstances, that 

 the gentleman he represented had the only /jwre-bred 

 poultry in America, any way. To which he replied, 

 briefly, 



' ' is that all ? I knew that before. ' ' 



I said, "John, you're a brick. A fafied-briok. A fvard- 

 £iced-brick. You '11 do." 



John winked, and left me, with the understandlhg that, 

 as soon as he should have time to look around the show, he 

 would telegraph me at Boston what the prospect was, com- 

 paratively. I felt quite sure that my fowls would take all 

 the premiums, for they always had done so before ; and my 

 "pure-bred" stock grew better and better every year! 



I did not go to the show for a day or two after my 

 agent left ; and, on the morning succeeding the opening, I 

 received from him the following brief but expressive tele- 

 graphic dispatch : 



" G. P. BuKNHAM, Boston. 



" Arrived safe ; thought we 'd got 'em, sure. We have 

 — over the left. You are nowhar ! B." 



Here was a precious fix, to be sure ! For five years, I 

 had carried away the palm at every exhibition where my 



