The doctor's book on poultry had been announced again and again; but it did not make its appearance in the market, in consequence of his tardiness. Week after week, and month after month, passed by, but still no Dr. Bennett's book could be found. I saw some of the proof-sheets finally, observed the fate of the illustrations of _my_ fowls, and made up my mind what I would do. The book was at last announced positively to appear in three weeks.
I immediately called at a stereotype foundery, and asked how much time it would require to stereotype a work of one hundred and fifty pages for me. I was told that it would occupy three to four weeks to complete it. "Can't it be done in _one_ week?" I inquired. The proprietor smiled, and said that this was impossible. I replied, "Well, sir, to-day is Tuesday. I have engaged to deliver in New York city, on the morning of a week from next Saturday, three thousand copies of a book _which I am about to write_. Is there _no_ way that you can help me out?" The gentleman looked at me incredulously.
I added, "Mr. ----, I have been in the newspaper business a good many years, and I have had the message of the President of the United States--a document occupying a dozen columns of solid brevier and minion--set up and put to press within forty-two minutes from the time it reached our office. _Anything_ can be accomplished, now-a-days, if we but will it."
"But, you say you _are about_ to write it. When will the 'copy' be ready?" said the stereotyper.
"I have thought of this," I replied, "but a few hours. The _title_, even, is not yet decided upon. I will give you fifty pages of manuscript to-morrow morning, the next day I will add another fifty, and you shall have the whole in hand by Friday morning."
He kindly undertook to aid me. I engaged three engravers, who worked day and night upon the drawings and transfers of the fowls for my illustrations; the paper was wet down on Monday and Tuesday; I read the final revised proof of my work on Wednesday night; the book went to press on Thursday; the binders were ready for it as it came up, the covers were put on on Friday morning, and I sent to the New York house (who had bespoken them), by Harnden's Express, on Friday evening, three thousand five hundred copies of the "NEW ENGLAND POULTRY-BREEDER," _illustrated with twenty-five correct engravings_ of _my_ choice, magnificent, superb, unapproachable, pure-bred fowls.