"DOING THE GENTEEL THING."
"There is one thing you should always bear in mind," said a notorious
shark to me, one day, while we conversed upon the subject of breeding
live-stock successfully--"there is one thing you should always remember;
and that is, under no circumstances ever permit a fowl or a pig to pass
out of your hands to a purchaser, unless you _know_ him to be of _pure
blood_."
This is a pretty theory, and, I have no doubt, such a course would work
to admiration, if faithfully carried out (as _I_ always intended to do,
by the way); but in this country this was easier to talk about than to
accomplish. I have now a letter before me, received some years since,
upon this point, and which will give the reader some idea how far this
thing extended in certain quarters, and what came of it.
"SIR: I have been informed by my friends, and I have seen it stated
in the poultry-books generally, that _you_ are a breeder of fowls
who can be relied on. I wish I could say as much of some other
parties with whom I have dealt, during the past year or two.
"I have been striving, for a long time, to get possession of some
_pure_-bred domestic fowls, and a strain of thorough-bred Suffolk
swine. I am satisfied _you_ have got them. Now, I beg you will
understand that I am fortunately pecuniarily able to _pay_ for what
I seek. I care nothing for _prices_;[14] but I do desire, and
stipulate for, purity of blood. Can you supply me? What are your
strains? When did you import it, and how has it been bred?
"If you can send me half a dozen Chinese fowls, all _pure_ bloods,
of each of the different varieties, do so, and charge me whatever
you please,--only let them be fine, and such as will produce their
like.
"I have read much on this subject of poultry, and I want to _begin_
right, you perceive. I have made up my mind that there are not so
many _varieties_ of fowls extant as many breeders describe. I am
satisfied that these domestic birds hail originally from China, and
that _all_ of them are of one blood. What is your opinion?
"Write me your views, please, and let me know if you can furnish me
what I seek, upon honor; bearing in mind that I am ready to pay
your price, whatever it may be; but that I want only pure-blooded
stock.
"Yours, respectfully,
"---- ----."
I immediately forwarded to this customer (as I usually did to my
newly-found patrons) copies of the _portraits_ of my "genuine Suffolk"
pigs, and of my "pure-bred" and "imported" Chinese-fowls. These
"pictures," samples of which appear in this work upon pages 174 and 212,
had the desired effect. I rarely forwarded to these beginners one of
these nicely-got-up circulars that didn't "knock 'em" at first sight.
These gentlemen stared at the engravings, exclaimed, "_Can_ it be?"
thrust their hands to the very bottom of their long purses, and ordered
the stock by return of mail.
In this last-mentioned case, I informed my correspondent that I agreed
with him in the ideas he had advanced precisely (I usually did agree
with such gentlemen), and I entertained no doubt that he was entirely
correct in his views as to the origin of domestic fowls, of which he
evidently knew so much. (This helped me, amazingly.) I pointed out to
him the distinction that existed (without a difference) between a
"Shanghae" and a "Cochin-China," and finally concluded my learned and
_un_selfish appeal by hinting (barely _hinting_) to him that I felt
certain _he_ was the best judge of the facts in the case, and I would
only _suggest_ that, so far as my experience went, there were, in
reality, but _ten_ varieties of _pure_-bred fowls known to
ornithologists (I was one of this latter class), and that these ten
varieties were the Cochins, the White, Grey, Dominique, Buff, Yellow,
Red, Brown, Bronze and Black _Shanghaes_--and these were the only kinds
_I_ ever bred.
As to their purity of blood, I could only say, that I imported the
original stock myself, and "enclosed" he had their _portraits_; to which
I referred with pride and confidence and pleasure, &c. &c. &c. Of their
probable merits I must leave it entirely to his own good judgment to
decide. I had this stock _for sale_, and it did not become me (mind
this!) didn't _become me_ to praise it, of course (O no!). And I would
say no more, but simply refer him to the public prints for my character
as a breeder of blooded stock, etc. etc. etc.
Did this take him down? Well, it did; _vide_ the following reply from
him, two weeks subsequently.
"MY DEAR SIR:
"I never entertained a doubt that you were _all_ you had been
represented; and your reputation is, indeed, an enviable one, in
the midst of these times, when so much deceit and trickery is being
practised among this community. I am flattered with the tone of
your kind letter, just received, and I am greatly pleased that you
thus readily coincide with me in regard to my opinions touching the
fowl race.
"I had come to the conclusion that there were but _eight_ real
varieties of genuine fowls; but I observe that, in your last favor,
you describe _ten_ strains of pure-bloods, that you know to be
such. The portraits of your stock are beautiful. You allude to the
'Bronze' and the 'Dominique' colored Shanghaes. These must be very
fine, I have no doubt; and I gladly embrace the opportunity to
enclose you a draft on Merchants' Bank, Boston, for six hundred
dollars, in payment for six of each of your splendid varieties of
this pure China stock, the like of which (on paper, at least) I
have never yet been so fortunate as to meet with.
"Please forward them, as per schedule, in care of Adams & Co.'s
Express; whose agents, I am assured, will feed and water them
regularly _three times a day_[15] on the route, and who are
universally proverbial for their attention to the birds thus
directed and intrusted to their care. I shall order the 'Suffolks'
shortly.
"Yours, truly,
"---- ----."
I sent this anxious purchaser sixty chickens, at ten dollars each
(cheap enough, to be sure), in accordance with his directions, and he
was delighted with them. I do not _now_ entertain a shadow of doubt that
every _one_ of those ten "different varieties" were bred from white hens
and a black cock, of the ordinary "Shanghae" tribe.
[14] This was the kind of customer I met with occasionally, and whom I
always took at his word. The gentleman who "didn't care about price" was
always the man after my own heart.
[15] Certainly--of course. The express agents had nothing else to do
but to "feed and water" fowls "_three times a day_" on the way!