stayed in the barn a long time.

"What a worthless fellow that old dog is!" she thought. "This barn is
full of mice! I don't believe he has caught one in all the years he has
lived on the farm."

V

SPOTS AND SPECKLES

WHEN she first met Miss Kitty Cat face to face Henrietta Hen exclaimed,
"What a pity!"

Miss Kitty Cat hadn't intended to speak to Henrietta Hen at all. She
didn't care, as a rule, to have anything to do with hens. She often
remarked that she liked eggs and she liked chickens; but she never could
see what hens were good for.

Well, when Henrietta Hen spoke to her like that Miss Kitty Cat paused
and stared at her coolly for a moment or two. Then she asked in rather a
distant tone, "What's a pity?"

Now, Henrietta Hen seldom knew when she was snubbed. And goodness knows
people snubbed her often enough, too. For she was forever making remarks
about their looks. And now she said to Miss Kitty Cat, "It's a pity your
speckles are so big."

Miss Kitty Cat saw at once that Henrietta Hen was a vain creature. She
had half a mind to walk on and leave her, without saying another word to
her. Indeed, Miss Kitty had turned aside to continue her stroll towards
the meadow when Henrietta Hen spoke to her again.

"Don't you think," Henrietta demanded, "that speckles should be worn
very small, like mine? Don't you think yours are too big?"

"I'd rather not talk with you," said Miss Kitty Cat. "I can see plainly
that we'd never agree."

"Oh, do stop for a while!" Henrietta Hen besought her. "I love a chat
with a cat," she added with a silly giggle.

Miss Kitty Cat was vexed. She thought that Henrietta Hen was a tiresome
person.

"Ill stop and have a chat with you," Miss Kitty relented, "for it's not
often that I meet a spotted hen. If my speckles are too big," she went
on in an icy tone, "it is just as true that your spots are altogether
too small."

"Spots!" Henrietta cackled. Like all empty-headed people, she was quick
to lose her temper. "Spots indeed! I'd have you know that I haven't any
spots. I'm a speckled beauty--that's what I am. And if you don't believe
it you can ask the Rooster."

"Perhaps I was mistaken," Miss Kitty Cat purred. "Anyhow, I'll take
_your_ word about the Specks. I won't bother to ask the Rooster."

"Ah!" Henrietta Hen exclaimed. "You're afraid of him! You're afraid he
might want to fight you. And I wish he would," she screamed at Miss
Kitty, "for it's plain that you're