The daily banner. (Cambridge, Md.) 1897-2008, 1918-11-16
daddy EVENIN((
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ROOSTER AND HENS.

Soiu ANCu IoI, liit looS'Sl.
"Cluck, cluck, cuck," said Mrs. Hen.
what is the trouble al about?
THE same old trouble that bothered
by dear grandfather, but which | am
thankful to say did not bother my dear
greatgrandfather.
"How very mysterious clurkcd
Mrs. Hen. And Mrs. Specbled Hen. rs
well as Miss White Hen, came along
saying, How very mysterious" and
then added: What is very mysteri-
ous?"
"a creature would think. to hear YOU
Hen had said, without knowing what
1t meant" began Red Top, that You
were parrots instead of hens"
parrots are handsome, aren't they?
asked Miss White Hen coyly. smooth
Ing her feathers.
sudden" said Mrs. Speckled Hen.
Ever since Mr.. Speckled Rooster was
run over by that horrid motor I've
been wondering if you admired me-.
Don't count your chickens before
they're Matched" said Mrs. Hen.
"Chickens!" exclaimed Mrs. Speck-
led Hen. Counting chickens before
they are hatched. What do you mean?
I'm not thinking of Matching chickens.
Gracious, no; I'm too bored sitting on
eggs. I've done it for such long time.
I'm just tired of it; yes, l am
coli
Mrs. Hen. THAT is simply an express
sion or saying"
II understand you" clucked Mrs.
Speckled Hen. She was growing quite
nervous and wishing that Mrs. Hen
would stop making SO much noise. She
wanted to hear what else Mr.. Red Top
was going to say. How annoying hens
could be when fine, handsome rooster
was around.
you were SAYING" continued Mrs.
Speckled Hen to Mr.. Rooster in her
best society voice.
s"Well, always let the ladies have
their say" Mr.. Red Top answered.
"You hadn't finished speaking, had
you?" he asked of Mrs. Hen.
Mrs Speckled Hen gave Mrs. Hen Il
an old hen could act, she was thinking
to herself.
Il meant to say" Mrs. Hen COM
menced, that it was not compliment
for Mr.. Red Top to say you were like
q parrot. And besides, If you took it
rs sucn a compliment, Miss White Hen
had the same right TO take it as COM
pliment, also"
But Miss White Hen wasn't looked
straight at as 1 was" said Mrs. Speck-
led Hen proudly.
"Well. them" continued Mrs Hen,
'let me tell you that it was not COM
pliment. Mr.. Red Top meant that par
rots copied what was said without
knowing what was meant; quite a fool
iSh thing to do. He was not thinking
Of their beautiful feathers"
"Oh. dear me, dear me-" said Mrs.
Speckled Hen, "how very sad"
"Cheer up" said Red Top. "for I was
feeling sad myself but a short time
ago. and was about to talk about it. -
Talk about it," said Mrs. Speckled
Hen. I'VE may be able to comfort each
other
what a pushing hem whispered
Mrs. Hen to Miss White Hen, and Miss
White Hen, who had stopped trying to
be coy. said:
"She is pushing, indeed
oil hn n
cluck and chatter as hard as they
could.
what a very pushing hen Mrs.
Speckled Hen is" they would say.
And all over the barnyard the hens
were all shouting and screaming and
clucking and cackling:
Mrs. Speckled Hen is a vefy push
ing hen"
, 'Cats! Cats! All of you are cats ~
shrieked Mrs. Speckled Hen, above all
the rest
s"Now she has gone mad-she is quite
crazy" said Mrs. Hen. "She calls us
cnts-we, the hens of the barnyard."
"She Is certainly quite mad,' said
Miss White Hen.
But by this time Mr.. Red Top was
angry.
Mrs. Speckled Hen knows more
than any Of you" he crowed, land in
tend to make her Mrs. Red Top. She
calls you all cats, meaning you are
Jealous and cross-and you haven't
the brains to understand" And the
hens went off, cackling sadly.