"And, by the way, why is it that
Philadelphia spring chickens do not appear until autumn, do you suppose?
Is it because Philadelphia spring doesn't come around until it is autumn
everywhere else?"
"No, I think not," said the Doctor. "I think it is because Philadelphia
spring chickens are not sufficiently hardened to be able to stand the
strain of exportation much before September, or else Philadelphia people
do not get so sated with such delicacies as to permit any of the crop to
go into other than Philadelphia markets before that period. For my
part, I simply love them."
[Illustration: "'MRS. S. BROUGHT HIM TO THE POINT OF PROPOSING'"]
"So do I," said the Idiot; "and if Mrs. Smithers will pardon me for
expressing a preference for any especial part of the _piece de
resistance_, I will state to her that if, in helping me, she will give
me two drumsticks, a pair of second joints, and plenty of the white
meat, I shall be very happy."
"You ought to have said so yesterday," said the School-master, with a
surprisingly genial laugh. "Then Mrs. Smithers could have prepared an
individual chicken for you."
"That would be too much," returned the Idiot, "and I should really
hesitate to eat too much spring chicken. I never did it in my life, and
don't know what the effect would be. Would it be harmful, Doctor?"
"I really do not know how it would be," answered the Doctor. "In all my
wide experience I have never found a case of the kind."
"It's very rarely that one gets too much spring chicken," said Mr.
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