"The rare and beautiful imported _Wild India Game_ hen, contributed by Mr. B.F. Griggs, Columbus, Geo., was a curiosity much admired. This fowl (lately sold by Dr. J.C. Bennett, of Plymouth, to Mr. Griggs, for $120) is thorough game, without doubt; and her progeny, exhibited by Dr. Bennett, were very beautiful specimens. To this bird, and the '_Yankee Games_' of Dr. Bennett, the Committee awarded a gratuity of $5."
So miserable a _hum_ as this was, I never met with, in all my long _Shanghae_ experience. It out-bothered the Doctor's famous "Bother'ems," and really out-_Cochined_ even my noted Cochin-Chinas! But I was content, _I_ was one of the "Committee of Judges." I had forgot!
"It has been the aim of the Committee to do _justice_ to all who have taken an interest in the late Fowl Exhibition, and they congratulate the gentlemen who have sustained this enterprise upon its success."
They did _ample_ justice to this Wild Bengal Injun Hen, that is certain. The Cochin-China trade received an impulse (after this show concluded) that astonished even _me_, and I am not easily disturbed in this traffic. And I have no doubt that the people who paid their money to witness this never-to-be-forgotten (by me) exhibition, were also satisfied.
The experiment was perfectly successful, however, throughout. I forwarded to all my patrons and friends copies of this Report, beautifully illustrated; and the orders for "_pure_-bred chickens from the _premium_ stock" rushed in upon me, for the next four or five months, with renewed vigor and spirit.
This first exhibition at the Fitchburg Dépôt Hall proved to me a satisfactorily profitable advertisement, as I carried away all the premiums there that were of any value to anybody. But then it will be observed that the "Committee of Judges" of this show were my "friends." And, at that time, the competition had got to be such that all the dealers acted upon the general democratic principle of going "for the greatest good of the greatest number." In my case, I considered the "greatest number" Number _One_!
THE MUTUAL ADMIRATION SOCIETY'S SECOND SHOW.
In the month following, to wit, on the 12th, 13th and 14th of November, 1850, the second annual exhibition of the Simon Pure Society with the extended title was held at the Public Garden, in Boston.