The Tale of Henrietta Hen by Arthur Scott Bailey
page 7 of 69 (10%)
page 7 of 69 (10%)
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"I knew you'd all want to have a look at these prize youngsters," she said to the rest of the company. "You'll agree with me, of course, that there were never any other chicks as handsome as these." Henrietta's neighbors all crowded up to gaze upon the soft balls of down. "This is the first family you've hatched, isn't it?" Polly Plymouth Rock inquired. Henrietta Hen said that it was her first brood. Her neighbors wanted to be pleasant. So they told her that her children were as fine youngsters as anybody could ask for. And the old white dame, squinting at the nestlings, said to Henrietta: "They're the finest you've ever had.... But there's one of them that has a queer look." All the other visitors tried to hush her up. They didn't want to hurt Henrietta Hen's feelings. It was her first brood of chicks; and they could forgive her for thinking them the best in the whole world. So when they saw that old Whitey intended to be disagreeable they began to cluck their approval of the youngsters, hoping that Henrietta wouldn't notice what Whitey said. Nor did she. Henrietta Hen was altogether too pleased with herself and her new family to pay much attention to anybody else's remarks. "I hope," said Henrietta, "that you'll all come to see my family often. |
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