THE MILKMAID AND HER
PALE OF MILK
DOLLY the Milkmaid having been a good
girl, and careful in her work, her mistress
gave her a pail of new milk for herself.
With the pail upon her head, Dolly tripped
gaily along on her way to the town, whither
she was going to sell her milk.
"For this milk," said Dolly, "I shall get a
shilling, and with it I will buy twenty of
the eggs laid by our neighbor's fine fowls. The
mistress will surely lend me a hen, and , al-
lowing for all mishaps, I shall raise a good
dozen of chicks. They will be well grown be-
fore the next fair-time comes around, and
it is then that chickens bring the highest price.
I shall be able to sell them for a guinea.
"Then I shall buy that jacket that I saw
in the village the other day, and a hat and
ribbons, too; and when I go to the fair, how
smart I shall be!
"Robin will be there, and will come up and
offer to be friends again. But I won't come
round too easily; and when he wants me for a
partner in the dance, I shall just toss up my
head and---"
Here Dolly gave her head the least bit of
a toss, when down came the pail, and all the
milk was spilled upon the ground.
Poor Dolly! it was her good-by to eggs,
chickens, jacket, hat, ribbons, and all.Don't count your chickens until they are
hatched.