5. There were Spanish cocks 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 gamecocks, too, looking like fierce soldiers. Among all the smart poultry Betty found herself passed 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."
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.