250 THE HISTORY OF 



more especially as the show-prizes had been duly announced, 

 and he had the premium-money safely in his own pocket ! 

 And it certainly must have been a very gratifying circum- 

 stance, to the man who had been thus duped, to see his ad- 

 vertisement thus in print, too. Had / been similarly situ- 

 ated, however, after losing my premium and the credit that 

 belonged to my having had the best fowls on exhibition, 

 also (only by thus joining issue with another to gull the 

 " dear people "), I r|{;her think I should not have published 

 the facts, to shoi^myself up a fool as well as a knave. But 



this is merely a matter of taste. Mr. B , who signs 



this " card," will scarcely be caught in this way again. 

 We " live to learn." 



Mr. B had not become apprised of the fact that, 



from the very commencement, the hen-trade was a huge 

 gull, possessing an unconscionable maw, and most incon- 

 ceivable powers of digestion. Older heads and wiser men 

 than he had been duped or swallowed by this monster, that 

 stalked about the earth for six long years, seeking whom he 

 might devour. If this is the worst treatment he ever ex- 

 perienced at the hands of those who helped to feed the 



vampirOj Mr. B is, indeed, a fortunate man. There 



be those who would gladly exchange places with this gentle- 

 man, and give him large odds. 



was smart. I have knoWn him for several years. 



He is one of the few " hen-men " whom I would trust alone 



