anything else."

And she laughed.

"I can't help being forgetful," said Sidney.

"Perhaps not," said his mother; "but you could go a long way toward
carrying out your good intentions if you would only do promptly whatever
is given you to do."

"I will go to Mrs. Flynn's now," said Sidney. "She can get here by ten
o'clock, anyway."

"Very well," said his mother. "The sooner you see her, the better it
will be for the washing. This winter sun will not last long."

Sidney went out, and, hurrying on his overcoat and cap, was soon on the
way to the cottage of Mrs. Flynn.

He felt a little depressed, for the remarks of his sisters had hurt his
feelings a good deal.

He wondered, as he walked briskly along, if Fannie and Clara never
forgot anything.

Next to Mrs. Flynn's was a small, brown cottage a good deal in want of
repairs. It had needed a coat of paint for many a year, and some of the
blinds were broken. But at the window was a very pretty little girl,
with golden curls, and Sidney paused a minute to nod and smile at her.
He knew her quite well, for she was sister to one of the junior clerks