Lena E. Barksdale

“ Henny sighed as she spoke.
"Could I take your place?"
"I would be very much obliged, my dear."
"Then I will," said Speckle. "What time do you go?"
"Red Nose Mike will be ready at half-past four this afternoon," Henny said.
[15]
Speckle was ready at the time set by Henny, who soon found a house and was back in an hour's time.
We must now hear something of Henny Penny. She is one of the oldest and sweetest hens at Fowl Farm. She was a small chicken when the travelling hens and roosters settled at the farm. She is respected by every decent chicken that ever saw her. ”

“ Then after receiving many congratulations Scratchfoot ate the worms.
LATER, IN THE HENHOUSE.
"Mrs. Henny Penny, why do you insist on sitting on your nest forever? It is so pleasant outdoors; you might be fattening on worms instead of up here on your nest as if you were glued to it," said Scratchfoot. ”

“ Uncle Red Nose Mike has just asked a riddle, which none of us can guess. But you can, so get up and try."
Scratchfoot yawned and then said, "Mr. Mike, what is your riddle? I will try my hand at it. What is it?"
"What kind of a cravat would our friend Mr. Hog be most likely to choose?" said Red Nose [6] Mike, then added: "I have offered a prize of those six worms I found just now to the one that tells me what it is."
HEN CASTLE.
"That is very easy. Have these people, sensible too they call themselves, been trying so long to guess that riddle? Hand over your [7] worms, Mr. ”

“ They had all kinds of fowls, turkeys, ducks, and everything. One night our mistress came with her maid and examined us closely. She decided she had too many chickens, so half a dozen of us were stopped up ready to be sold in the morning. ”