ONE OF THE FINAL KICKS.
I was chosen by somebody (who will here permit me to present them my
thanks for the honor) as one of the judges to decide upon the merits of
the birds then to be exhibited: and my colleagues on this Committee were
Dr. J.C. Bennett, and Messrs. Andrews, Balch and Fussell.
On the morning of the opening of this show the names of the judges were
first announced to the contributors. Immediately there followed a
"hullabaloo" that would have done credit to any bedlam, ancient or
modern, ever heard or dreamed of. The lead in this burst of rebellion
amongst the hitherto "faithful" was taken by one prominent member, who
announced publicly, then and there, that the selection of the judges was
an infamous imposition. They were incompetent, dishonest, prejudiced,
calculating, speculative, ambitious competitors. Moreover, that it had
all been "contrived by that damned Burnham, who would rob a church-yard,
or steal the cents off the eyes of his dead uncle, any time, for the
price of a hen."
These were the gentleman's own expressive words. He added that he could
stand anything in the hen-trade but _this_. This, however, he would
_not_ submit to. Burnham should be kicked out of that Committee, or he
would kick himself out of his boots, and the Society's traces also;--a
threat which did not seem to alarm or disturb anybody, "as I knows on,"
except this same tall, stout, athletic, brave, honorable, honest,
truthful, smart, gentlemanly member of this Mutual Admiration Society!
Now, it was very well known, at this time, that the Committee of Judges
had been chosen entirely without their own knowledge. So far as I was
myself concerned, I should greatly have preferred at that time to have
remained an outsider, because it would have then been quite as well for
me to have contributed to the exhibition, where, with the "splendid
specimens" I then possessed of the Cochin-China and Shanghae varieties
of fowl, I could have knocked all the others "higher than a fence" in
_that_ show, as I had done in all the previous exhibitions where I had
ever competed with the boys.
But the same power which had formed the Committee of Judges also
provided that they must not be competitors. Thus, three or four of those
persons who had at the previous exhibitions of this Society been the
most extensive contributors,--men who had bred by far the largest
assortments and quantities of good fowls up to this period, and who had
till now paid ten or twenty dollars for one (compared with any other of
the members) toward the good of the association, and in the furtherance
of its objects,--_these_ men were made the judges, and were cut off as
contributors. I was satisfied, however, because I saw that the framing
of the _Report_ of this show would fall to my lot again; and I had no
doubt that, under these circumstances, I could afford to be "persecuted"
for the time being.
It is not in my nature to harm anybody; and those who are personally
acquainted with me, know that I am _constitutionally_ of a calm,
retiring, meek, religious turn of mind. My aim in life is to "do unto
others as I would have others do unto me." I "love my neighbor" (if he
doesn't permit his hens to get into my garden) "as myself." And, "if a
man smite me upon one cheek, I turn to him the other also," immediately,
if not sooner. I never retaliate upon an enemy or an opponent--until I
make _sure that I have him where the hair is short_.
I once knew of an extraordinary instance of patience that taught me a
powerful lesson in submissiveness. It occurred in a Western court, where
the judge (a most exemplary man, I remember) sat for two mortal days
quietly listening to the arguments of a couple of contending lawyers in
reference to the construction they desired him to assume in regard to a
certain act of the Legislature of that State. When the two legal
gentlemen had "thrown themselves," in this long and wearying debate, for
forty-eight hours, his Honor cut off the controversy by remarking, very
quietly,
"Gentlemen, this law that you have been speaking of _has been
repealed_!"
I thought of this circumstance, and I permitted the hen-men to gas, to
their hearts' content. When they got through with their anathemas, their
spleen, and their stupidity, I informed them that the "Committee" had
unanimously left to _my_ charge _the writing of the Report of that
Exhibition_.
From that moment, up to the hour when the Report was published, I never
suspected (before) that I had so many _friends_ in this world!
The fear that seemed to pervade every mind present was, that _I_ should
probably do precisely what _they_ would have done under similar
circumstances,--to wit, take care of myself.
I had no fowls in this exhibition; but there were present numerous
specimens bred from my stock, that were very choice (so every one said),
and which commanded the highest prices during the show.
There were several _Southern_ gentlemen present, who bought (and paid
roundly for them, too) some of the best fancy-birds on sale. It was
astonishing how much some of those buyers did know about the different
breeds of Chinese fowls there! Yes, it certainly was astounding! I think
I _never_ saw before so much real, downright _bona fide_ knowledge of
henology displayed as was shown by one or two Southern gentlemen, then
and there;--never, in the whole course of my experience!
By reference to the next chapter, it will be seen how shamefully I
neglected my own interests, and how self-sacrificing I was in the report
of the Society's last kick, which, as I have already hinted, the
Committee left to _my_ charge to prepare.
I had no disposition (in the preparation of this document) to underrate
the stock of any one else, _provided_ it did not interfere with me! And,
after carefully noting down whatever seemed of importance to my
well-being there, I sat myself down to oblige the Committee by writing
the "Report" of this show, which an ill-natured competitor subsequently
declared was "only in favor of Burnham and his stock, all over,
underneath, in the middle, outside, overhead, on top, on all sides, and
at both ends!"
And _I believe he was right_!