matches under their noses； down to lifting them off a fence on a frosty
night by insinuating the end of a warm board under their heels。 By the
time I was twenty years old； I really suppose I had raised more poultry
than any one individual in all the section round about there。 The very
chickens came to know my talent by and by。 The youth of both sexes
ceased to paw the earth for worms； and old roosters that came to crow；
〃remained to pray；〃 when I passed by。
I have had so much experience in the raising of fowls that I cannot but
think that a few hints from me might be useful to the society。 The two
methods I have already touched upon are very simple； and are only used in
the raising of the commonest class of fowls； one is for summer； the other
for winter。 In the one case you start out with a friend along about
eleven o'clock' on… a summer's night （not later； because in some states
especially in California and Oregonchickens always rouse up just at
midnight and crow from ten to thirty minutes； according to the ease or
difficulty they experience in getting the public waked up）； and your
friend carries with him a sack。 Arrived at the henroost （your
neighbor's； not your own）； you light a match and hold it under first one
and then another pullet's nose until they are willing to go into that bag
without making any trouble about it。 You then return home； either taking
the bag with you or leaving it behind； according as circumstances shall
dictate。 N。 B。I have seen the time when it was eligible and
appropriate to leave the sack behind and walk off with considerable
velocity； without ever leaving any word where to send it。
In the case of the other method mentioned for raising poultry； your
friend takes along a covered vessel with a charcoal fire in it； and you
carry a long slender plank。 This is a frosty night； understand。 Arrived
at the tree； or fence； or other henroost （your own if you are an idiot）；
you warm the end of your plank in your friend's fire vessel； and then
raise it aloft and ease it up gently against a slumbering chicken's foot。
If the subject of your attentions is a true bird； he will infallibly
return thanks with a sleepy cluck or two； and step out and take up
quarters on the plank； thus becoming so conspicuously accessory before
the fact to his own murder as to make it a grave question in our minds as
it once was in the mind of Blackstone； whether he is not really and
deliberately； committing suicide in the second degree。 ＇But you enter
into a contemplation of these legal refinements subsequently not then。＇
When you wish to raise a fine； large； donkey voiced Shanghai rooster； you
do it with a lasso； just as you would a bull。 It is because he must
choked； and choked effectually； too。 It is the only good； certain way；
for whenever he mentions a matter which he is cordially interested in；
the chances are ninety…nine in a hundred that he secures somebody else's
immediate attention to it too； whether it day or night。
The Black Spanish is an exceedingly fine bird and a costly one。 Thirty…
five dollars is the usual figure and fifty a not uncommon price for a
specimen。 Even its eggs are worth from a dollar to a dollar and a half
apiece； and yet are so unwholesome that the city physician seldom or
never orders them for the workhouse。 Still I have once or twice procured
as high as a dozen at a time for nothing； in the dark of the moon。 The
best way to raise the Black Spanish fowl is to go late in the evening and
raise coop and all。 The reason I recommend this method is that； the
birds being so valuable； the owners do not permit them to roost around
promiscuously； they put them in a coop as strong as a fireproof safe and
keep it in the kitchen at night。 The method I speak of is not always a
bright and satisfying success； and yet there are so many little articles
of vertu about a kitchen； that if you fail on the coop you can generally
bring away something else。 I brought away a nice steel trap one night；
worth ninety cents。
But what is the use in my pouring out my whole intellect on this subject？
I have shown the Western New York Poultry Society that they have taken to
their bosom a party who is not a spring chicken by any means； but a man
who knows all about poultry； and is just as high up in the most efficient
methods of raising it as the president of the institution himself。
I thank these gentlemen for the honorary membership they have conferred
upon me； and shall stand at all times ready and willing to testify my
good feeling and my official zeal by deeds as well as by this hastily
penned advice and information。 Whenever they are ready to go to raising
poultry； let them call for me any evening after eleven o'clock；
EXPERIENCE OF THE McWILLIAMSES WITH MEMBRANOUS CROUP
＇As related to the author of this book by Mr。 McWilliams； a pleasant New
York gentleman whom the said author met by chance on a journey。＇
Well； to go back to where I was before I digressed to explain to you how
that frightful and incurable disease； membranous croup；＇Diphtheria D。W。＇
was ravaging the town and driving all mothers mad with terror； I called
Mrs。 McWilliams's attention to little Penelope； and said：
〃Darling； I wouldn't let that child be chewing that pine stick if I were
you。〃
〃Precious； where is the harm in it？〃 said she； but at the same time
preparing to take away the stick for women cannot receive even the most
palpably judicious suggestion without arguing it； that is married women。
I replied：
〃Love； it is notorious that pine is the least nutritious wood that a
child can eat。〃
My wife's hand paused； in the act of taking the stick； and returned
itself to her lap。 She bridled perceptibly； and said：
〃Hubby； you know better than that。 You know you do。 Doctors all say
that the turpentine in pine wood is good for weak back and the kidneys。〃
〃AhI was under a misapprehension。 I did not know that the child's
kidneys and spine were affected； and that the family physician had
recommended〃
〃Who said the child's spine and kidneys were affected？〃
〃My love； you intimated it。〃
〃The idea！ I never intimated anything of the kind。〃
〃Why； my dear； it hasn't been two minutes since you said〃
〃Bother what I said！ I don't care what I did say。 There isn't any harm
in the child's chewing a bit of pine stick if she wants to； and you know
it perfectly well。 And she shall chew it； too。 So there； now！〃
〃Say no more； my dear。 I now see the force of your reasoning； and I will
go and order two or three cords of the best pine wood to…day。 No child
of mine shall want while I〃
〃Oh； please go along to your office and let me have some peace。 A body
can never make the simplest remark but you must take it up and go to
arguing and arguing and arguing till you don't know what you are talking
about； and you never do。〃
〃Very well； it shall be as you say。 But there is a want of logic in your
last remark which〃
However； she was gone with a flourish before I could finish； and had
taken the child with her。 That night at dinner she confronted me with a
face a white as a sheet：
〃Oh； Mortimer； there's another！ Little Georgi Gordon is taken。〃
〃Membranous croup？〃
〃Membranous croup。〃
〃Is there any hope for him？〃
〃None in the wide world。 Oh； what is to be come of us！〃
By and by a nurse brought in our Penelope to say good night and offer the
customary prayer at the mother's knee。 In the midst of 〃Now I lay me
down to sleep；〃 she gave a slight cough！ My wife fell back like one
stricken with death。 But the next moment she was up and brimming with
the activities which terror inspires。
She commanded that the child's crib be removed from the nursery to our
bedroom； and she went along to see the order executed。 She took me with
her； of course。 We got matters arranged with speed。 A cot…bed was put
up in my wife's dressing room for the nurse。 But now Mrs。 McWilliams
said we were too far away from the other baby； and（ what if he were to
have the symptoms in the nightand she blanched again； poor thing。
We then restored the crib and the nurse to the nursery and put up a bed
for ourselves in a room adjoining。
Presently； however； Mrs。 McWilliams said suppose the baby should catch it
from Penelope？ This thought struck a new panic to her heart； and the
tribe of us could not get the crib out of the nursery again fast enough
to satisfy my wife； though she assisted in her own person and well…nigh
pulled the crib to pieces in her frantic hurry。
We moved down…stairs； but there was no place there to stow the nurse； and
Mrs。 McWilliams said the nurse's experience would be an inestimable help。
So we returned； bag and baggage； to our own bedroom once more； and felt a
great gladness； like storm…buffeted birds that have found their nest
again。
Mrs。 McWilliams sped to the nursery to see how things were going on
there。 She was back in a moment with a new dread。 She said：
〃What can make Baby sleep so？〃
I said：
〃Why； my darling； Baby always sleeps like a graven image。〃
〃I know。 I know； but there's something peculiar about his sleep now。
He seems totohe seems to breathe so