322 THE HISTOKY OS 



By a Disappointed " Fancier." — Barn-yard fowls and 

 ■white-shelled eggs, for my money. (Three cheers for the 

 old-style biddies.) 



By the Youth in a White Fesf . — "Fanny Fern": The 

 hen that lays the golden eggs. (Six cheers for Fanny, and 

 the fair sex generally.) 



By a Repentant. — The whole Shanghae Tribe : Curse 

 'em ; the more fowls you see of this race, the less eggs 

 there are about ! (This was deemed slightly personal, but 

 it was permitted to pass ; the gentleman spoke with unusual 

 feeling ; he had been only three years in the trade, and had 

 expended some sixteen hundred dollars in experimenting 

 with a view to establish a breed that would lay two eggs 

 daily.) 



By One of my "Friends."- — The Young 'TJn : The 

 only hen-man who has put the knife in up to the handle 

 with a decent grace ! (Nine cheers followed, for the im- 

 porter of the only pure-bred poultry in America.) 



This last sentiment called me to my feet, naturally 

 enough ; and, as nearly as I remember, I thus addressed 

 my guests, amidst the most marked and respectful attention : 



" Gentlemen : I think I have seen it written some- 

 where, or I have heard it said, ' It is a long lane that has 

 no turn in it.' I believe, however, that, although the lame 

 we have most of us been travelling for the last six years 



