her lot to-day. She was a little girl of quick
and sensitive feelings, and a sharp word always wounded her more than a
blow. How that angry woman had talked about her mother!

Susy decided, upon the whole, that this was the sting--this was the "pin
in the lash," which had hurt her more than the lash. How _dared_ Mrs.
Lovejoy say a word about her own mother, who was certainly the best
woman that ever lived, always excepting the good people in the Bible!

By the time she entered the house, her indignation had risen like a
blaze, and burned away all her tears. But should she tell her mother
what Mrs. Lovejoy had said about her ownself, about her being "stuck
up," and holding her head pretty high? Susy could not decide whether she
ought to tell her, and risk the danger of almost breaking her heart! But
before she had time to decide, she had poured out the whole story in a
torrent.

Strange to say, Mrs. Parlin listened with perfect calmness, and even
said, when Susy had finished,--

"Very well, my dear; now you may go and hang up your hood and cloak."

"But, mother," said Susy, rushing up stairs again, quite out of breath,
"now I've taken care of my things; but did you understand what I said,
mother? Annie will never come into this house, never again! Her mother
forbids it!"

"That is quite fortunate for me, Susy, as it saves me the trouble of
forbidding it myself!"

"Why, mother, you wouldn't do such a thing as that! Why, mother, I never
heard of your doing such a thing in my life!"

"I should regret the necessity very much, my child; but wouldn't it be
better, on the whole, to have a little moral courage, and put an end to
all intercourse between the two families, than to live in a constant
broil?"

"Why, yes, mother, I suppose so."

Susy was beginning to feel more composed. She saw that her mother
understood the whole story, yet her heart was far from being broken!

"What is moral courage, mother?"

"The courage to do right."

"Did I have moral courage when I told Mrs. Lovejoy the truth?"

"Yes, dear. It was hard for you, wasn't it? If it had been easy, there
would have been no moral courage about it."

"I am glad I had moral courage!" said Susy with animation. "I knew I did
something _right_, but I didn't know what you called it."

"Now," continued Mrs. Parlin, "I have this very day been talking with a
lady, who once lived next door to Mrs. Lovejoy; and she tells me enough
about her to convince me th