LISTLESS It seemed an unfortunate thing for me, and unfavorable to my purpose, that my host, and even my hostess too, should be so engrossed with their new estate, its beauties and capabilities.

Mrs.Hockin devoted herself at once to fowls and pigs and the like extravagant economies, having bought, at some ill-starred moment, a book which proved that hens ought to lay eggs in a manner to support themselves, their families, and the family they belonged to, at the price of one penny a dozen.

Eggs being two shillings a dozen in Bruntsea, here was a margin for profit--no less than two thousand per cent, to be made, allowing for all accidents.
The lady also found another book, divulging for a shilling the author's purely invaluable secret--how to work an acre of ground, pay house rent, supply the house grandly, and give away a barrow-load of vegetables every day to the poor of the parish, by keeping a pig--if that pig were kept properly.

And after that, pork and ham and bacon came of him, while another golden pig went on.
Mrs.Hockin was very soft-hearted, and said that she never could make bacon of a pig like that; and I answered that if she ever got him it would be unwise to do so.

However, the law was laid down in both books that golden fowls and diamondic pigs must die the death before they begin to overeat production; and the Major said, "To be sure.