nted," said she, with a laugh, "but I half think
the Angel Fish is."

I could not control myself at the curious coincidence, and I roared with
laughter while I replied:

"Now, Mrs. H., I never let a good joke be spoiled, even if it serves to
expose my own secrets. I assure you, upon honor, that the Golden
Australian Pigeons, as they are labeled, are really painted; and that in
their natural state they are nothing more nor less than the common
ruff-necked white American pigeons!"

And it was a fact. How they happened to be exhibited under that
auriferous disguise was owing to an amusing circumstance, explained in
another chapter.

Suffice it at present to say, that Mrs. H. to this day "blushes to her
eyebrows" whenever an allusion is made to "Angel Fish" or "Golden
Pigeons."

CHAPTER VII.

PEASE'S HOARHOUND CANDY.--THE DORR REBELLION.--THE PHILADELPHIA
ALDERMEN.

In the year 1842, a new style of advertising appeared in the newspapers
and in handbills which arrested public attention at once on account of
its novelty. The thing advertised was an article called "Pease's
Hoarhound Candy;" a very good specific for coughs and colds. It was put
up in twenty-five cent packages, and was eventually sold wholesale and
retail in enormous quantities. Mr. Pease's system of advertising was
one which, I believe, originated with him in this country, although
many have practiced it since, but of course, with less success--for
imitations seldom succeed. Mr. Pease's plan was to seize upon the most
prominent topic of interest and general conversation, and discourse
eloquently upon that topic in fifty to a hundred lines of a
newspaper-column, then glide off gradually into a panegyric of "Pease's
Hoarhound Candy." The consequence was, every reader was misled by the
caption and commencement of his article, and thousands of persons had
"Pease's Hoarhound Candy" in their mouths long before they had seen it!
In fact, it was next to impossible to take up a newspaper and attempt to
read the legitimate news of the day without stumbling upon a package of
"Pease's Hoarhound Candy." The reader would often feel vexed to find
that, after reading a quarter of a column of interesting news upon the
subject uppermost in his mind, he was trapped into the perusal of one of
Pease's hoarhound candy advertisements. Although inclined sometimes to
throw down the newspaper in disgust, he would generally laugh at the
talent displayed by Mr. Pease in