Dick and His Cat and Other Tales Part 14

10. But thanks to the care taken of her, Betty did not get ill, though the nasty soap made her feel sick; and the cook saw that she had made a mistake in washing Betty.

11. "All creatures can clean themselves," said the housemaid, "leastways all birds can, at any rate, and we do harm by meddling."

12. "I think we ought to keep her under a wash-tub or in a basket until the day for the show," said the cook. "She will be sure to get dirty again in that barn."

13. When a nice new hen-coop was turned over her, Betty began to think about her mother. "What a horrid time she must have spent when we were little, and she had to stay in a coop!" said the young hen to herself.

14. "And yet I think that I am even worse off than she was, for I have to stay here without any little chickens to amuse me, or to run under my wings."

_Write:_ The young hen was washed. It was bad for her and made her feathers rough. She grew tired of being shut up though she was well fed.

Questions: 1. Where was Betty placed alone? 2. What did she say to herself about her food? 3. What did the cook do to her? 4. What did the housemaid tell her? 5. Where was Betty put next? 6. What did she think about in the coop?

4. AT THE SHOW.

1. "No, I have nothing to amuse me," said Betty, "but the thought of how handsome I am. It is nice to think of that, and yet I am almost tired of hearing it."

2. Betty would have given one of the best feathers in her tail for a good race after a beetle, or for a good scratch for grubs down by the manure heap, which was the best place.

3. But she had hardly yet begun her trials. On the next day, the coachman took her in a hamper to the show. Betty screamed as she was put into it, for she did not like it at all.

4. "I will behave well, no matter what happens," said poor Betty. But she felt afraid of the noise, the pushing, and the crowd of people and poultry at the Palace.

5. There were Spanish c.o.c.ks and hens, who were lofty and silent. There were little silver bantams who chuckled. Some hens were tiny dwarfs like the bantams, others were giants like the Cochin China fowls.

6. There were gamec.o.c.ks, too, looking like fierce soldiers. Among all the smart poultry Betty found herself pa.s.sed over and called "only a pullet."

7. All the other fowls were called "loves" and "dears," while hardly any people took notice of her plain white dress and rosy head-dress.

But one gentle lady came by, who stopped near Betty.

8. She pointed Betty out to a child who was with her, saying that she was one of the best hens of her kind which she had ever seen.

9. The lady added, "No fowls lay better eggs than these pretty Dorkings.

"They make the best mothers, they are English in their habits, and therefore stronger than birds from foreign lands."

[Ill.u.s.tration: THE PRETTY DORKING.]

10. The air at the Crystal Palace was hot and close. Betty began to wish herself at home again. She could not eat, though food was there.

11. And though her feathers were all ruffled and in a mess, she did not feel able to put them to rights. Yet she knew that she ought to tidy herself.

12. One of the hens near began to mock at her. She said with a pretence of being polite: "May I put your tail tidy for you, madam, since it seems too much trouble for you to do it yourself?"

13. And then the sly thing gave a tweak and pulled out Betty's longest feather.

14. A hen near gave a dab with her beak at Betty's pink comb, and made it bleed. And though she said after that she did not mean to hurt her, that did not heal the sore place.

_Write:_ At the show Betty found it hot and close. She did not care to eat. The other hens played tricks with her. She wished herself at home.

Questions: 1. When Betty was in the coop what did she long for? 2. When she got to the show what did she see? 3. How did she feel? 4. How did the other hens behave to Betty? 5.

What did the lady say about her? 6. What happened to her comb?

5. A SAD MISHAP.

1. After a time Betty felt better. The other fowls left off teasing her. They had only been in rough play, and did not mean to worry her too much.

2. She dipped her bill into a dish of water which was there, picked a bit of lettuce, and said to herself that she would make the best of a bad job.

3. Betty was still as vain of having five toes on each foot as any fine young lady could be of wearing new shoes. She was always holding up one foot or else the other. No doubt she meant to show off.

4. There was a great cackling and noise in some of the pens after a while, and Betty heard that the judges were coming. These were the people who were to give the prizes, and she felt now more vain than ever.

5. She made up her mind to present her foot to the judges, and even to push it out between the wires of her pen, as far as she could. "They cannot help giving me a prize when they see my five toes!" she said to herself.

6. But just as she had thrust her toe right out between the wires, after much trouble, she heard an odd voice from the next pen say, "Hullo, what's that? Is it a grub?"

7. A queer big bird with a long neck had caught sight of the foot, and he gave a great snap at it as he saw it move. Betty tried to pull her toes back, but the big bird would not let go.

8. At last it ended by his pecking off the nail and first joint of poor Betty's middle claw. She was in much pain and screamed loudly.

9. Up rushed a man, the keeper, who took Betty out in a great hurry.

"We must have no wounded or sick birds here for the judges to see," he said.

10. And he put poor Betty quickly away into one of the pens which had been used for bringing fowls to the show. It was empty but for two or three poor hens who were either dead or dying.

11. These were fowls which had been hurt on the way, by being shaken or roughly used. They had been put into baskets too small for them, or had been badly used in some other way. It is bad for birds to travel.

12. Here Betty sank down on the ground. At first she could do nothing but think of her poor toe; she pushed it into some soft stuff which lay on the floor, and this stopped the bleeding.

13. How sad she felt! All her fine hopes of a prize were gone. She was a cripple now for life, and no one would care for her fine looks any more.

14. "I wonder what is the use of shows?" thought Betty. "Why do people want other people to tell them that their c.o.c.ks and hens are pretty?"

15. After the bustle and fuss of the day were over, one of the keepers came with a boy to look after the dead and dying.

16. "She was as great a beauty as ever I did see," said the man. "A perfect pullet!--that she was. But, dear me! she is not perfect now that her toe is gone.

17. "She is good for nothing now but to lay eggs and bring up chicks.

She was worth a couple of pounds; now she would only fetch a couple of shillings.

18. "Here, Jack, tie a bit of rag round the stump, and give her food and water in that spare box. I cannot bear to wring her neck, as we are forced to do with many, to put them out of pain."