The Little Girl and the Chickens

"I WAS looking down on a barn-yard yesterday," said the moon, "there I saw a clucking hen, with eleven little chickens, that looked like yellow puff balls, running about the yard; presently a little blue-eyed girl came out of the house, and began running and jumping after the chickens, which frightened the old hen very much, and she clucked and spread her wings in terror over her little brood. Then the child's father came out and scolded her, and I glided away, and thought no more of the matter. But this evening, only a few minutes ago, I again looked into the barn-yard. Every thing was quiet. Directly I saw the same little girl come out; she stepped lightly across to the hen-house, pushed back the bolt and slipped in among the hens and chickens. They cried out loudly and came fluttering down from their perches, as the little one ran after them, I saw it all plainly through a hole in the wall. I felt quite provoked with the child, I was quite glad to see her father coming after her. As he held her by the arm, she hung down her head, and her blue eyes were full of large tears.

" 'What are you doing my child, frightening the chickens so?' he asked.

"She wept and said, 'I wanted to kiss the hen, and beg her pardon for frightening her yesterday, but I did not like to tell you so papa.' Then the father kissed the innocent child, and taking her in his arms carried her into the house."