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