a poor little half-starved child, living in a london alley, had a ticket given to her by a kind lady to admit her to a free tea and entertainment. she was wild with delight at the idea, and was running up to tell her mother, when she stumbled over a child crouched on the stairs crying.

she asked what was the matter. the child said her mother had beaten her because she asked for some breakfast, and she was so hungry she could not help crying.

“well,” said the other child, placing the ticket in her hand, “take this, and get a good tea. i’ve had no breakfast either, but my mother never beats me.”

she then passed on, leaving the ticket in the hand of the astonished child.