Pigs Is Pigs

This American classic is a humorous turn-of-the-century story about a train agent and the definition of a guinea pig. This hilarious tale of bureaucracy run amok at the Interurban Express Company, and exponential growth of the Guinea pig population shows what can happen when ignorance and bureaucrats get together and decide its fate when anyone with just plain common sense can solve the problem in less than one minute.
Ellis Parker Butler (1869-1937) was a native of Muscatine, Iowa. Dropping out of high school to help support the family he worked in a number of jobs including ones in a spice mill, an oatmeal mill, a china store, and a wholesale grocery. Moving to New York City in 1896, he began writing for trade magazines such as the Tailor's Review, the Wall Paper News, and The Decorative Furnisher.
In 1905, his humorous short story, Pigs is Pigs appeared in the American Magazine, and the following year it was published in book form. Its phenomenal success allowed Butler to give up editing trade papers and turn to full-time authorship.

Ellis Parker Butler was an American author, born on December 5, 1869, in Muscatine, Iowa, and passing away on September 13, 1937, in Williamsville, Massachusetts. He was prolific, having written over 30 books and more than 2,000 stories and essays throughout his career. Butler is perhaps best known for his short story "Pigs Is Pigs," which humorously critiques bureaucratic inefficiency. His works often reflected his sharp wit and ability to observe the absurdities of human nature, making him a notable figure in American literature. Butler's writing encompassed a variety of genres, including humor, satire, and social commentary, and he had a knack for addressing the quirks of daily life through comedic scenarios. His ability to capture both the mundane and the absurd in society contributed to his lasting legacy in American fiction. He married Ida A. Zipser in 1899, and the couple had several children, including Elsie McColm, Ellis Olmstead Butler, Jean Butler, Marjorie Butler, and Wallace Parker.