had a splendid time, when the two rings,
and the lady, walked majestically in.

The next day, a lady called upon Lillie's mother, and said,
"How did Annie like the ring I sent her?"

"Annie? _Lillie_, you mean."

"Oh, no," said the lady, "I sent the cornelian ring to Annie."

This announcement troubled Lillie's mother. She knew her
little girl thought more of this cornelian ring, than of all
the rest of her presents; but she promised the lady, who was
their cousin, it should be given to the rightful owner.

Now, this good mother would gladly have bought another ring
for Annie, and let Lillie keep her treasure, but that would
not have been the _right thing_; so she took Lillie out
walking with her, and as the little girl skipped and danced
along, (for a little happy creature like that, scarcely ever
walks,) she began her painful duty by saying, "Lillie, what is
the golden rule?"

"_I_ know," said Lillie, "Do as you would wish to be done by."

"Well, do you understand what it means?"

"Why, yes, mamma; papa says the golden rule means, that I
must be good and kind to everybody, because I always want
everybody to be good and kind to me."

"Well, Lillie," said her mother, in a very kind tone, "I must
tell you about a mistake I have made. I am very, very sorry
for it. I gave you two rings on Christmas day, and your cousin
tells me, that she meant the cornelian ring for Annie. Now,
Lillie, what will you do?"

"Oh, mamma!" exclaimed Lillie, and then she stopped, while a
painful flush came all over her face, her little breast
heaved, and her large and lovely blue eyes filled with tears.
She felt very miserable, for a moment, then checking a rising
sob, she said, softly--

"Mamma, you made _two_ 'steaks. You said Christmas day, that
I had too many presents; that was one 'steak, and Annie had
too few, that was two 'steaks. I--I must give this ring to
sister Annie. It is her ring. I shall only have _one_ ring,
but, _never matter_," and she sighed----and _then she smiled_.

"That is right, my darling," answered her mother, "that is
doing just as you would wish to be done by."

So Lillie, with her great resolution filling her noble little
heart, said not a word more, but hastened home with her mother,
and walked straight up to Annie, with such a heaven-sent smile
illuminating her sweet face, and took the precious ring off her
finger, and said, "Here, Annie; this is your ring, take it; it
was meant for you all the