Spirit of the age. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1849-1865, 1855-01-24
A Dear Dinner.

AT the last Hen Convention in our city.
some six weeks since. mutual friend Of
ours, residing in the suburbs ofour metropolis,
came to the city in the morning to attend
the hen fair, where he purchased a very
lagrgs beautiful pair of Shanghai fowls.
tq breea from; and, as he was 10 remain in
town untik evening, he sent the birds by a
bcy, with a note to friend of his, living a.
the Alt.ons requesting that he would take
charge of the chickens until the afternoon.
as he had some matters of business that
would delain him he also told de how "a
say BE would, dine with him at 4 etclock.'
The boy siEnilly delivered the fowls, bui
taryc the no and siasply remarked
fiese s<ysss...t - sSSIr,
Ms sent you, and says he will dine with
you at o'clock
The gentleman supposing his friend 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
had friend to dine with him at that P.
NJ The order was accordingly obeyed, and
at the appointed time the dinner was served.
After imbibing sundry wine bitters,' as a
shaIrpener to their appetites, they sat down,
and the Shanghai was requested 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 herep
Yes answered the other, they are an
indlfferently good sized pair of birds; they
were sent to me by mutual friend of ours
Indeed, were they ? fine clever fellow
he must be, Jim /; a very pretty present this,
and declare they are the most delicious
flavor lever tasted, and as juicy, too, as a
canvass-back ?
And so he continued praising the rich fla
vor of the chickens until after they had ia
ken care of couple of bottles of Schrieder,
and while they were chatting over their
bottle of sherry, and enjoying th cir regalias,
the owner of the Shanghais said,
Blythe by, Jim, what do YOU think of
my hen purchase this morning?'
Why, Bill, think they we're most Cell
cious, and wish you would dine with me ev
cry day in the week, if you will send me
such chickens
Such chickensp screeehed Bill. as the
thought flashed across his mind that he
might possibly have been eating his OWE
Shang ghais. What ia the world do you
mean?
Mean,' replied Jim, why, ] mean to say
that yon have dined of those chickens you
sent me this norningp
Bill instantly jumped up from the table,
and rammed his hands up to his elbows in
his breeches pocket, and after striding across
the room some halidozen times, without
with fine frenzy rolling stopping short, and
turning to his friend, exclaimed with no little
gesticulation,
Good Heavens, Jim, I paid hirty-fve
dollars for that pair Of toecls this morning!
Did mt that boy give you note this morn
ing when he left the chickens
No. said Jim, he gave me no note, he
simply handed me the Shanghais, and said
you would dine with me at four! Therefute,
| had them roastedp
Bill instantly rushed for his horse and
wagon, and has not been seen in the city but
ONE since, and then he was closely muff1ed
up, and both ears stopped with cotton, for
fear he would hear some one say Shanghai?