He, she, or it might have been glad"

"'He' or 'she' might have been glad because they are masculine
and feminine, but could 'it' have been glad?" asked Miss
Dearborn, who was very fond of splitting hairs.
"Why not?" asked Rebecca.

"Because 'it' is neuter gender."

"Could n't we say, 'The kitten might have been glad if it had
known it was not going to be drowned'?"

"Ye-es," Miss Dearborn answered hesitatingly, never very sure of
herself under Rebecca's fire; "but though we often speak of a
baby, a chicken, or a kitten as 'it,' they are really masculine
or feminine gender, not neuter."

Rebecca reflected a long moment and then asked, "Is a hollyhock
neuter?"

"Oh yes, of course it is, Rebecca."

"Well, could n't we say, 'The hollyhock might have been glad to
see it rain, but there was a weak little baby bud growing out of
its stalk and it was afraid it might be hurt by the storm; so the
big hollyhock was kind of afraid, instead of being real glad'?"

Miss Dearborn looked puzzled as she answered, "Of course,
Rebecca, hollyhocks could not be sorry, or glad, or afraid,
really."