The hens gathered about her feet cocking their expectant eyes at
her; the doves came circling round her head; the cow stared
placidly, and the inquisitive horse responded affably when she
offered him a handful of hay.
"How tame they all are! I like animals, they are so contented and
intelligent," she said, as a plump dove lit on her shoulder with an
impatient coo.
"That was Kitty's pet, she always fed the fowls. Would you like to
do it?" and David offered a little measure of oats.
"Very much;" and Christie began to scatter the grain, wondering who
"Kitty" was.
As if he saw the wish in her face, David added, while he shelled
corn for the hens:
"She was the little girl who was with us last. Her father kept her
in a factory, and took all her wages, barely giving her clothes and
food enough to keep her alive. The poor child ran away, and was
trying to hide when Mr. Power found and sent her here to be cared
for."
"As he did me?" said Christie quickly.
"Yes, that's a way he has."
"A very kind and Christian way. Why didn't she stay?"
"Well, it was rather quiet for the lively little thing, and rather
too near the city, so we got a good place up in the country where
she could go to school and learn housework.
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