Jeffersonian Republican. [volume] (Stroudsburg, Pa.) 1840-1853, 1852-02-05
From the N. Y. Spirit ofthe Times.
A Dear Dinner.

A Dear Dinner.
Dear PAT the last " Hen Conven-
ton" in our city, some six weeks since,
a mutual friend of ours, residing in the
suburbs of our metropolis, came to the
city in the morning to attend the " hen
fair" where he purchased very large
and beautiful pair of Shanghai fowls, to
breed from; and as he was to remain in
town until evening, he sent the birds by
a boy, with a note to friend of his, liv-
ing at the Albion, requesting that he
would take charge of the chickens until
the afternoon, as be had some matters
of business that would detain him; he al
so told the boy to say he would dine with
him at o'clock.
The boy delivered the fowls, but forgot
the note, and simply remarked, "Here's
pair of rousing big chickens Mr..
M-ssen you, and says he will dine
with you at 4 o'clock"
The gentleman supposing his friend
(who, by the way, knows hawk from a
handsaw, and a canvassback from 6roal-
ed oa0I) had sent him something extra,
ordered them to be given to the cook,
with directions that they be killed and
dressed at once, as he bad friend to
dine with him at that P. M.-The Or
der was accordingly obeyed, and at the
appointed time the dinner served. After
imbibing sundry" wine bitters," as a
sharpener to their appetites, they sat
down, and the Shanghai owner was re-
quested to carve; and as he was dissecting
these enormous " cute members of the
Hen Convention" he remarked to his
friend,
" You have an extraordinary fine pair
of chickens here"
Yes" answered the other, they are
an indiferently good sized pair of birds ;
they were sent to me by mutual friend
of ours"
Indeed, were they!a q devilish clever
fellow he must be, Jim; very pretty
present this, and I declare they are the
most delicious flavor I ever tasted, and
as juicy, too, as a canvass-back !"
| And so he continued praising the rich
flavor of the chickens until they had
taken care of couple of bottles of
Schrieder and while chattering over
their bottle of sherry, and enjoying their
regalias, the owner of the Shanghais
said,
"By-the-bye, Jim, what do you think
of my hen purchase this morningl"
"Why, Bill, 1 think they were most
delicious, and wish you would dine with
me evary day in the week, if you will
send me such chickens"
"Such chickens !" screeched Bill, as
the thought flashed across bis mind that
he might possibly have been eating his
own Shanghais. " What the devil do
you mean!"
"Mean," replied Jim, "why, mean
to say that you have dined off of those
chickens you sent me this morning !"
Bill instantly jumped up from the ta-
bic, and rammed his hands up to his ell
bows in his breeches pockets, and after
striding across the room some half dozen
times, without uttering word, but his
eyes all the while with " fine frenzy roll
ling" stopped short, and turning to his
friend, exclaimed, with no little gesticu-
lation-
"Good God, Jim Ipaid thirty: fOe
doAIors for that pair Of toacIs this morning
Didn't that cussed boy give you note
this morning when be left the chickens 7"
"No," said Jim, he gave me no note,
he simply handed me the Shanghais, and
said you would dine with me at four
Therefore, I had them roasted !"
Bill instantly rushed for his horse and
wagon, and has not been seen in the city
but once since, and then he was closely
muffled up, and both ears stopped with
cotton, for fear he would hear some one
say Shanghai !
A few days since, while passing his re-
sidence, I dropped in upon him for an
hour, and after while ventured to touch,
upon the different breeds of poultry, but
at once discovered wildness about Bills
eyes, therefore discontinued the topic
When he said, imploringly,
cold fellow don't hit me now, I'm
down-that chicken dinner has nerer get
digeSted !"
Truly yours, ACORN.
Boston, January 5, 1852.
IT, Drosoruo Milk.