a
great many other things. Now go just as fast as you can, but be
very careful and not spill the milk."

[Illustration: Mrs. O'Brien and her child.]

II.

Kate put on her bonnet, and taking the pail of milk, hastened
towards the house of the poor sick woman. But she had gone but a
little way when she met Fanny Flynn, who was an idle girl, and very
fond of mischief.

"Where are you going, Kate?" asked Fanny.

"I am going down to Mrs. O'Brien's with some milk."

"Give me a drink--will you?"

"I can't; it is for the poor widow's children. I suppose they won't
have any supper till they get this milk."

"Yes, they will. I won't drink but a little of it."

"No, I can't give you any. It would not be right for me to do so."

"Pooh! You needn't pretend to be so good all at once. You are no
better than I am."

"I didn't say I was. Only I shall not give you any of this milk,
when it is for the poor woman's children; so you needn't ask me,"
replied Kate, with a great deal of spirit.

Some people think, when they do anything that is right, they ought
to make a great parade over it; but this only shows that they are
not much in the habit of doing right, and they wish to get all the
credit they can for it.

It was so with Kate. She ought to have been content with merely
doing her duty, without "talking large" about it. Fanny felt that
she was just as good as Kate, and she was angry when the latter
made a needless show of her intention to do what she believed to be
right.

[Illustration: Fanny and Kate.]

"I don't want it," said Fanny.

"What did you ask me for it for, then? You wanted to make me do
something that was wrong."

"You are not always so nice," sneered Fanny.

"I don't mean to do wrong, anyhow, as some folks do."

"Do you mean me?"

"No matter whom I mean."

Fanny was so angry that she walked up to Kate and pulled her
"shaker" down over her face. She also used some naughty words when
she did so, which I will not repeat.

Kate, in her turn, was very angry with the saucy girl, and wanted
to "pay" her for what she had done. But Fanny did not wait for any
reply, and ran away just as fast as she could.

It would have been much better for Kate if she had let her go; but
she was so angry she could not do this; she wanted to strike back
again. Without thinking of the milk in the pail, she started to run
after the naughty girl.

For a few moments she ran with all her might, and had nearly