254 THE HISTORY Ol" 



gulled, and gouged, aai gorged, Tyith the fulsome and glow- 

 ing accounts of the asserted reality of this thing, from 

 the pen of this very man among the rest, it comes lather 

 late in the day for such an one to " warn the people," and 

 in such a manner ! 



But, soon after the exhibition above referred to had 

 closed, the president of the society issued a most astound- 

 ing "card," declining to receive the premiums awarded 

 him, and in which appears the following sentence : 



"In connection with the report of the Judges of ^e 

 late State Poultry Show, allow me to make a statement. 

 As appears from the report, my birds have been unusually 

 successful in the contest for premiums, sixteen, put of 

 twenty distinct varieties exhibited being so honored. This 

 was more than I expected, and more than I honestly think 

 they deserved. And I am strongly of opinion that, had 

 they had more time, they would have come to a diflferent 

 conclusion, in two or three cases." 



I was prepared for almost anything in the hen-trade, 

 up to this time ; but this performance really astonished 

 me! The man actually refused to take the premiums 

 awarded him ! He even went so far as to show the 

 "judges" who ought to have had the prizes, rather than 

 himself. And he actually sent back to the committee 

 the money they forwarded to him after the exhibition was 



over 



1 1 



Now, if this were not suflScient to astonish "the 



