THE HEN fever: 20T 



"No — no — no ! " shouted the crowd ; the ladies kindly 

 joining in the decisive negative given to this forcible appeal. 



" Then, I repeat it, we are but just in the beginning of 

 the commencement of this new and promising era. The fire 

 has just begun to burn, and to illumine the world; and, as 

 I said before (or intended to say), it is not to be subdued ! 

 It is a mighty conflagration, which assails everybody at this 

 moment, and is now enveloping all classes of the community, 

 fi-om the highest to the lowest ! This land is in a blaze ! 

 In a threatening, exciting, violent, whirling, astounding 

 blaze, gentlemen — and no opposition or invention can put 

 it out!" (" Fetch on your fire-'nihilators, then ! " shouted 

 a vicious wag, from the gallery.) 



" We don't want to put it out," continued Mr. Bamum, 

 growing warmer as the fire of his zeal in this cause contin- 

 ued to glow within him ; "we have no wish to put it out. 

 Let it burn ! Let it come ! Let it conflagrate ! We love 

 it — you love it — / love it — it 's one of the things we 

 admire to think of, and speak of, and read of, and pay for, 

 and help to keep alive here, and everywhere, and elsewhere ! 

 Our country is big enough; we have millions of broad acres, 

 miles on miles of fertile fields, and cords of maize and grain 

 that cannot be used or disposed of, unless it be devoted to 

 the uses and benefits of these beautiful birds, sometimes so 

 cavalierly spoken of by their enemies, but the value of which 

 / know, and most of you, gentlemen, know how to appre- 



