264 THE HISTORY OF 



known ' Queen Dowager,' grandsire ' Prince Albert,' on 

 ' Victoria First,' "' &c. &c., which brought the handsome sum 

 of one hundred and sixty pounds (or about eight hundred 

 dollars). And, soon afterwards, the same dodge was 

 adopted on this side of the Atlantic. The " Porte-Monnaie 

 I owe 'em Company " have now an advertisement in sev- 

 eral New York and Western papers, concluding thus : 



" To all who desire it, we will furnish authentic pedi- 

 grees of our stock of all descriptions, which may be relied 

 on for their accuracy." 



This sort of thing was rather tbo much for my naturally 

 republican turn of mind- and, though I could endure 

 almost anything in the humbug of this bubble, I could n't 

 swallow this. I received from New York Stat6, one day, 

 the following spicy epistle : 



"Mr. Burnham. 



" Sir : I have been a live-stock breeder for some years 

 in this and the old country, and I was desirous to obtain 

 only ^M?'e-blooded fowls when I ordered the ' Cochin* ' of 

 you last month. I asked you for their pedigree. You 

 have sent none. What does this mean ? I paid you your 

 price —^ seventy-five dollars — for three chickens. What 

 have you sent me ? Am I dealing with a gentleman ? Or 

 are you a mere shambles-huckster? What are theae fowls 



