Little Emma came running home from 

 school one day. "Oh, do look, mamma!" 

 she cried, holding out her hands. She had 

 something hidden in them. 



"What have you there?" asked her mother. 

 " Guess," replied little Emma. 

 But just then a speckled feathery head 

 peeped out between Emma's fingers. 



" Oh, Avhat a pretty chicken ! " ciied Mrs. 

 Long. '' Where did you get it? " 



" Some l)oys gave it to me. They were go- 

 ing to kill the poor thing. It is lame, and I 

 want to keep it for my own. May I, mamma?" 

 Papa looked in at the door at that moment, 

 and asked, "Keep what? " 



When he saw the chicken he laughed, and 

 said he had never been in the hen business, but he would begin with 

 Hoppy. Hoppy was the name that Emma had given the chicken. 

 A fine house was made out of a soap-box, and Hoppy was put to 

 bed. Papa Long showed the little girl how to feed and care for 

 her pet. By and by Hoppy grew to be a large hen. She was very 

 handsome, l)ut she always limped. Emma was very fond of her, 

 and never neglected her. 



One day Hoppy was heard singing very loud in the garden, and 

 Mr. Long said, " Emma, I think you had better look in the nest." 



Emma ran out, and soon returned in great glee, bringing a fine 

 large egg. "Oh, do see Hoppy's beautiful egg!" she cried. "May 

 I have it to eat all myself?" 



Mamma thought it quite right that Emma should have her chick- 

 en's first egg, and the little girl put it carefully away for dinner. 

 When she returned from the pantry Emma found her mother 



